Application of traditional Chinese drugs in comprehensive treatment of primary liver cancer

The present paper is a summary for treating 50 cases of Stage II primary liver cancer by the Integrated method of traditional Chinese and Western medicine. It was found by comparative observation that the average survival time of the Spleen-Deficiency (SD) type patients was markedly longer than that of Phlegm-Dampness-Stagnancy (PDS), Qi- and Blood-Stagnancy (QBS) and Liver-Kidney-Yin-Deficiency (LKYD) types, indicating that the SD type patients might have a better prognosis, and that the Chinese herbal medicine was an alternative for treating intermediate and late carcinoma.

Identification of different classes of nonessential sulfhydryl groups in Escherichia coli adenylosuccinate synthetase

Reaction of Escherichia coli adenylosuccinate synthetase with the thiol reagent 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB) or N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) leads to modification of one cysteine residue per enzyme monomer without significant loss of enzyme activity. Modification of a second cysteine residue occurs under mild denaturing conditions (3.5 M urea), and derivatization of this thiol followed by dialysis results in complete loss of enzyme activity. The remaining two cysteine residues react with DTNB only after treatment with 8 M urea. The location of the various cysteine residues in the enzyme was established by using [14C]NEM followed by tryptic digestion and radiopeptide isolation. The reactive cysteine has been identified as Cys291, and the thiol exposed with 3.5 M urea is Cys344. When Cys344 was replaced by either serine or alanine, the mutant enzymes were found to be as active as the wild-type enzyme. These findings point to the nonessential role of Cys344 in adenylosuccinate synthetase.

Transcription factor ATF cDNA clones: an extensive family of leucine zipper proteins able to selectively form DNA-binding heterodimers

An activating transcription factor (ATF)-binding site (consensus sequence 5'-GTGACGTACAG-3') is a promoter element present in a wide variety of viral and cellular genes. The two best-characterized classes of genes that contain ATF sites are E1A-inducible adenoviral genes and cAMP-inducible cellular genes. Here, we report the isolation of eight ATF cDNA clones, each of which is derived from a separate gene. All ATF cDNA clones examined contain a leucine zipper motif and are significantly similar to one another only within this region. The leucine zipper region of ATF proteins is also similar to that of the AP-1/c-jun family of transcription factors, whose DNA-binding site differs from the ATF-binding site at a single position. DNA binding studies reveal two mechanisms for generating further diversity from the ATF proteins. First, some, but not all, combinations of ATF proteins form heterodimers that efficiently bind to DNA. Second, although all ATF proteins bind to the ATF site, their precise interactions with DNA differ from one another, as evidenced by methylation interference analysis. Our results help to explain how a single promoter element, an ATF site, can be present in a wide variety of promoters.

Investigation of the relationship between tyrosyl residues and the adenosine 5'-monophosphate binding site of rabbit liver fructose-1,6-biphosphatase as studied by chemical modification and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

The effects of AMP, fructose 6-phosphate (Fru-6-P), fructose 2,6-bisphosphate (Fru-2,6-P2), and paramagnetic ions on the aromatic region of the proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrum of rabbit liver fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase have been investigated at 300 MHz. Two well resolved peaks in this region of the NMR spectrum are assigned to the protons from the aromatic ring of a tyrosyl residue of the enzyme by chemical modification with tetranitromethane and by nuclear Overhauser effects. Nitration of the tyrosyl residue causes desensitization of the enzyme to AMP inhibition as well as the loss of activity. In the presence of AMP during the modifications, 1 tyrosyl residue could be protected, presumably the one observed by NMR. Binding of AMP, an allosteric inhibitor of the enzyme, to rabbit liver fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase leads to an upfield shift of the tyrosyl proton signals in the NMR spectrum. No chemical shift or line broadening could be detected in the presence of the paramagnetic manganous ion, Fru-2,6-P2, or Fru-6-P. The negative intramolecular nuclear Overhauser effect from the ribose H2' proton to the adenine H8 proton of AMP suggested that AMP binds to the enzyme with an anti conformation about the glycosidic bond. The failure to observe intermolecular nuclear Overhauser effects between the tyrosyl residue and the protons of AMP indicates that the distances between them are greater than 4 A. On the basis of these observations, it is suggested that the AMP-related tyrosyl residue may be close to the AMP binding site, but it is not directly involved in ligand binding. Rather, the protection of this tyrosyl residue by AMP as observed by chemical modification experiments may well be due to a conformational change that results from covalent modification of the enzyme.

[Influence of aminophylline on immune function of mice]

The effects of aminophylline (Ami) on immune systems in normal NIH mice were studied. Ami ig 25, 50 and 100 mg/(kg.d) x 8-10 d increased hemolytic ability of plaque forming cells and antibody concentration while it decreased the delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction and peripheral white blood cells phagocytosing function. Ami 1, 5, 10 micrograms/ml also promoted lymphocyte transformation of [methyl-3H] TdR incorporation induced by PHA in vitro.

The site of substrate and fructose 2,6-bisphosphate binding to rabbit liver fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase

The binding site(s) in rabbit liver fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase for the active site binding ligand, fructose 6-phosphate, and the inhibitor, fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, have been investigated by using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The distance from a nitroxide spin label to the bound ligands and the distance from the structural metal site to the bound ligands are about the same within experimental error. These data indicate that the two ligands probably bind at the active site in the rabbit liver enzyme.

Dynamic CT scan of intracranial tumors

Of ninety-eight patients with intracranial tumors examined by dynamic CT scanning, 66 were confirmed operatively and pathologically. Our study showed that: 1) Dynamic CT can be performed safely and easily in outpatients; 2) Acoustic neurinoma, meningioma, pituitary chromophobe adenoma, astrocytoma and metastatic tumor have varying levels of time-density curves; 3) The tissue-blood ratio (TBR) at peak time (TBRp) is a useful indicator of the vascularity of tumoral tissues, and analysis of the time-density curve combining with TBRp is helpful to the differential diagnosis of tumors; 4) Differential diagnosis between tumors and vascular abnormalities such as aneurysm and arteriovenous malformation could be made easily with dynamic CT.

Ion-exchange equilibria of lysozyme, myoglobin and bovine serum albumin. Effective valence and exchanger capacity

A series of ion-exchange equilibrium experiments were completed and analyzed by a mass action model. The isotherms at various counter-ion concentrations are regressed to determine the average number of binding sites, Z, the mass action constant, K, and the effective capacity of the exchanger, Pm. The estimates for Pm are 1-10 mmol of protein adsorbed per liter of packed Sepharose exchanger, in agreement with values determined from fitting the Langmuir isotherms. A geometric model, developed to relate the charge distribution of the exchanger and the size of the protein to the protein capacity, also confirms the estimates of Pm. The Z values estimated (and confirmed with an independent slope method) range from 0.8 to 3.6, indicating that most of the ionized sites on the protein do not undergo ion exchange. Geometric model estimates of exchanger sites covered by a protein at maximum surface coverage show that only 1-32% of the sites actually undergo ion exchange. This result indicates that adsorbed protein molecules "block" many exchanger sites, preventing other molecules from ion exchanging at those sites. This high degree of blocking by proteins also indicates that there is an excess of exchanger sites, as evidenced by Z showing no dependence on charge separation distance over the range 6-10 A. Scatchard pots of the equilibrium data indicate that there is competition between at least two different binding forms of each protein studied. For the high-affinity systems, cooperative binding was observed at low exchanger loading; the character then changed to heterogeneous competitive binding as the exchanger loading increased. The effect on an isotherm plot is a subtle but systematic deviation from the Langmuir and mass action models. More important, the competition means that Z represents an average for competing binding forms and, as such, Z can be fractional.

Insulin-like growth factor binding proteins from cultured human fibroblasts. Characterization and hormonal regulation

Specific, high affinity insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding proteins are secreted by human fibroblasts in culture. By multiple criteria, the species of IGF binding proteins produced by human fibroblasts are distinct from the HepG2/amniotic fluid IGF binding protein, but share many characteristics with the growth hormone-dependent IGF binding protein forms predominant in normal adult human plasma. Treatment of cultured human fibroblasts with growth hormone produced an increase in IGF binding protein activity in the medium, while addition of glucocorticoids markedly diminished IGF binding activity. Insulin, epidermal growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, and progesterone had no effect on IGF binding activity in fibroblast media. In comparison, HepG2 IGF binding activity was enhanced by progesterone, decreased by insulin, and unaffected by growth hormone or glucocorticoid treatment. Five molecular forms of IGF binding proteins were identified by Western ligand blots in human fibroblast conditioned medium, with Mr = 41,500, 37,000, 32,000, 28,000, and 23,000. In human fibroblast conditioned medium, the Mr = 41,500 and 37,000 IGF binding protein species were abundant, as in normal human plasma, with a major Mr = 23,000 form which was a minor component in plasma.

A family of immunologically related transcription factors that includes multiple forms of ATF and AP-1

ATF is a cellular transcription factor involved in the regulation of multiple adenovirus E1A- and cellular cAMP-inducible promoters. Using DNA affinity chromatography, we have purified ATF and found that a series of polypeptides copurify in a sequence-specific manner. We demonstrate that these polypeptides represent a family of proteins that are related by DNA-binding specificity and by immunological cross-reactivity. This family includes the transcription factor AP-1, whose recognition sequence, GTGAGTCAA, differs from the ATF consensus, GTGACGTCAA, by the absence of a cytosine residue. Our results further indicate that there are multiple forms of both ATF and AP-1. The immunological cross-reactivity and related DNA-binding specificities suggest that ATF and AP-1 contain similar amino acid sequences and may have originated from a common gene.

Relationship between thiol group modification and the binding site for fructose 2,6-bisphosphate on rabbit liver fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase

A thiol group present in rabbit liver fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase is capable of reacting rapidly with N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) with a stoichiometry of one per monomer. Either fructose 1,6-bisphosphate or fructose 2,6-bisphosphate at 500 microM protected against the loss of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate inhibition potential when fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase was treated with NEM in the presence of AMP for up to 20 min. Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate proved more effective than fructose 1,6-bisphosphate when fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase was treated with NEM for 90-120 min. The NEM-modified enzyme exhibited a significant loss of catalytic activity. Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate was more effective than the substrate in protecting against the thiol group modification when the ligands are present with the enzyme and NEM. 100 microM fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, a level that should almost saturate the inhibitory binding site of the enzyme under our experimental conditions, affords only partial protection against the loss of activity of the enzyme caused by the NEM modification. In addition, the inhibition pattern for fructose 2,6-bisphosphate of the NEM-derivatized enzyme was found to be linear competitive, identical to the type of inhibition observed with the native enzyme. The KD for the modified enzyme was significantly greater than that of untreated fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase. Examination of space-filling models of the two bisphosphates suggest that they are very similar in conformation. On the basis of these observations, we suggest that fructose 1,6-bisphosphate and fructose 2,6-bisphosphate occupy overlapping sites within the active site domain of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase. Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate affords better shielding against thiol-NEM modification than fructose 1,6-bisphosphate; however, the difference between the two ligands is quantitative rather than qualitative.

Interaction of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate and AMP with fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase as studied by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

The interaction of AMP and fructose 2,6-bisphosphate with rabbit liver fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase has been investigated by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR). The temperature dependence of the line widths of the proton resonances of AMP as a function of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase concentration indicates that the nucleotide C2 proton is in fast exchange on the NMR time scale while the C8 proton is exchange limit. The exchange rate constant, koff, has been calculated for the adenine C8 proton and is 1900 s-1. Binding of fructose 6-phosphate and inorganic phosphate, or the regulatory inhibitor, fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, results in a decrease in the dissociation rate constant for AMP from fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, as indicated by the sharpened AMP signals. A temperature dependence experiment indicates that the AMP protons are in slow exchange when AMP dissociates from the ternary complex. The rate constant for dissociation of AMP from the enzyme.AMP.fructose 2,6-bisphosphate complex is 70 s-1, 27-fold lower than that of AMP from the binary complex. These results are sufficient to explain the enhanced binding of AMP in the presence of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate and, therefore, the synergistic inhibition of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase observed with these two regulatory ligands. Binding of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate to the enzyme results in broadening of the ligand proton signals. The effect of AMP on the binding of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate to the enzyme has also been investigated. An additional line width broadening of all the fructose 2,6-bisphosphate protons has been observed in the presence of AMP. The assignment of these signals to the sugar was accomplished by two-dimensional proton-proton correlated spectra (two-dimensional COSY) NMR. From these data, it is concluded that AMP can also affect fructose 2,6-bisphosphate binding to fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase.

A sensitive radioimmunoassay for somatomedin-C/insulin-like growth-factor I based on synthetic insulin-like growth factor 57-70

We have developed a region-specific radioimmunoassay for somatomedin-C/insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) directed against IGF-I 57-70. This sequence includes part of the A region and all of the carboxyterminal D region. In addition to being highly specific, this immunoassay is sensitive to as little as 1 ng/ml of IGF-I, and has half-maximum displacement by 10 ng/ml of IGF-I. Comparison to other existent immunoassays for IGF-I shows correlation coefficients of greater than 0.95. This immunoassay has the advantage of being directed against a known region of the IGF-I molecule which is on the exterior of the 3-dimensional structure, and can use a readily available synthetic peptide as both radioligand and standard.

High molecular weight forms of insulin-like growth factor II and its binding protein identified by protein immunoblotting

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)II is a mitogenic polypeptide which circulates in association with a binding protein(s). Immunoblotting studies were performed in human serum and indicate that:(1)a approximately 200 kDa covalently-linked IGF-II/binding protein complex is antigenically related to the 30 kDa binding protein, (2)IGF-II prohormone is associated with this complex, and (3)a major portion of the IGF-II prohormone immunoreactivity in human serum is present in fractions which would not be detected by standard radioimmunoassay methods. Our data provide insight regarding the inter-relationships of IGF-II and its binding protein, and direct evidence for the presence of IGF-II prohormone in human serum.

Purification and characterization of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase from bovine brain

Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase from bovine brain tissue has been purified to near homogeneity. This enzyme is similar to other mammalian fructose-1,6-bisphosphatases in many respects, and its properties are distinctly different from those reported for the enzyme from rat brain [A. L. Majumder and F. Eisenberg (1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74, 3222-3225; S. Chattoraj and A. L. Majumder (1986) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 139, 571-580]. The bovine enzyme (sp act 4, pH ratio (7.5/9.6) = 3.6) has a pH optimum of 7.5. The Km is 2 microM. Divalent metal ion is required for activity, and Vmax is obtained at either 4 mM Mg2+ or 0.3 mM Mn2+. Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate is a competitive inhibitor (Ki = 0.07 microM), and AMP a noncompetitive inhibitor (kis = 24 microM, Kii = 10 microM) of bovine brain fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase. The enzyme activity is enhanced by small amounts of EDTA relative to metal, and AMP inhibits fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase in either the presence or absence of the metal chelator; however, AMP is more effective in the absence of EDTA.

Antiserum developed for the E peptide region of insulin-like growth factor IA prohormone recognizes a serum protein by both immunoblot and radioimmunoassay

Nucleotide sequencing of the two known cDNAs encoding human insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) predicts two different prohormone forms of IGF-I. The predicted prohormone amino acid sequences (E peptide regions) extend the carboxy-terminus of IGF-I by either an additional 35 (IGF-IA) or 77 (IGF-IB) amino acids. We developed an antiserum directed against a synthetic peptide which is unique to the E peptide region of IGF-IA prohormone. In a RIA using this antiserum, synthetic E peptide immunoreactivity was found in the serum of patients with chronic renal failure. The protein recognized by this antiserum has a mol wt of about 13,000 by neutral gel filtration and about 19,000 by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting. These data suggest that the E peptide region of the IGF-IA prohormone is expressed and circulates as part of the prohormone.

The influence of proglumide, a putative CCK antagonist, on cerebral ischemia in gerbil

Studies were conducted to clarify the possible role of CCK in cerebral ischemia and to evaluate the effects of proglumide, a competitive and reversible CCK antagonist, as a potential therapeutic or prophylactic tool in the treatment of cerebral ischemia. Proglumide at the doses of 10, 50 and 150 mg/kg was administered to gerbils before unilateral carotid ligation, and its effect on stroke index score, incidence and mortality rate was observed. Our results show that proglumide injected prior to carotid ligation at the dose of 150 mg/kg significantly reduces both incidence and mortality rate and changes the distribution of the stroke index score in gerbils. There was a significant inverse relationship between the dose of proglumide and both incidence and mortality: the greater the injection dose of proglumide, the lower the incidence and mortality. These results suggest that CCK may be involved in the pathological processes of cerebral ischemia and proglumide or related compounds prove to be effective in the pharmacological prophylaxis of ischemic brain damage.

Serum somatomedin levels in adults with chronic renal failure: the importance of measuring insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and IGF-II in acid-chromatographed uremic serum

Somatomedin levels measured by radioreceptor assay (RRA) or RIA on acid-ethanol-extracted or unextracted serum from patients with uremia are quite variable relative to normal values. We have investigated whether compounds accumulating in uremic serum were interfering with these RRA and RIA measurements. Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and IGF-II were separated from carrier proteins by either Sephadex G-50 acid chromatography or acid-ethanol extraction. IGF-I was measured by RIA, and IGF-II was determined by rat placental membrane RRA. IGF-I levels in the acid-ethanol extracts of serum from eight uremic adults were only 50% of the levels found in seven normal subjects, and IGF-II levels in these uremic patients were 350% of normal values. However, these significant differences were not found when comparable serum samples were acid chromatographed rather than acid-ethanol extracted; instead, IGF-I levels were 343 +/- 168 (mean +/- SD) ng/ml in uremic patients and 325 +/- 54 ng/ml in normal subjects, while IGF-II levels were 780 +/- 215 ng/ml in uremic patients and 588 +/- 46 ng/ml in normal subjects. To determine whether compounds that interfere with somatomedin assays were present in the acid-ethanol extracts of uremic serum, we acid chromatographed these extracts and found that a compound eluting in the carrier protein fraction of the uremic extract artifactually decreased IGF-I levels measured by RIA and increased IGF-II levels measured by RRA. We also found that unsaturated carrier protein binding of IGF-I and IGF-II was significantly increased in the carrier protein fraction of uremic acid-ethanol extracts at the dilutions used for somatomedin assays. We conclude that acid chromatography of unextracted or acid-ethanol-extracted uremic serum is necessary to remove a compound, probably unsaturated carrier protein, which interferes with RIA of IGF-I and RRA of IGF-II. Once this compound is removed, serum IGF-I levels (RIA) in uremic patients are not different from normal, and serum IGF-II levels (RRA) are not lower than normal.

The effect of partial gastrectomy on lipoproteins and other characteristics

Among 6860 50-77 year old men of Japanese ancestry examined in Honolulu 291 were known to have had a gastrectomy for benign gastric (189) or duodenal (102) ulcer, and 132 had documented peptic ulcer disease treated medically. Total serum cholesterol averaged 12 mg% lower in the surgical group than in the general population (p less than 0.01) while the medically treated men had intermediate values. Fasting lipoprotein determinations done in a sub-sample showed that the lower total cholesterol in the surgical group was due to depressed LDL, while HDL was higher in the operated men than in either the general population or the medically treated patients (p less than 0.01). The surgical patients were heavier users of cigarettes, beer and coffee and averaged about 10 lb. lighter than either the medically treated patients or the rest of the population. However, in multivariate analysis these differences did not not account for the differences in lipoproteins. A small decrement in blood pressure in the surgical patients as compared to the rest of the population became non-significant when weight and others factors were taken into account.

Gram stain in Legionnaires' disease

A case of Legionnaires' disease is presented in which gram staining of impression smears from lung biopsy specimens showed Legionella pneumophila while other laboratory findings remained negative. This case illustrates the usefulness of gram staining in this disease and in the management of therapy.

Somatomedins and insulin in diabetic pregnancies: effects on fetal macrosomia in the human and rhesus monkey

The concentrations of the somatomedins (SMs) insulin-like growth factors I and II (SM-C/IGF-I and IGF-II) were measured by RIA in six normal and seven insulin-dependent diabetic pregnant women and their infants at delivery. SM-C/IGF-I and IGF-II levels in the two groups of women were similar. Maternal IGF-II concentrations correlated with maternal hemoglobin AIc levels (r = 0.68) and infant birth weight ratios (actual birth weight/expected 50th percentile sex-corrected birth weight for gestation age; r = 0.54). SMC/IGF-I and IGF-II levels in umbilical plasma in infants of diabetic mothers did not differ from those in control infants, but were lower than the corresponding maternal values. In contrast, umbilical plasma levels of C-peptide immunoreactivity were significantly elevated in the infants of diabetic mothers (2.25 +/- 1.85 (+/-SD) vs. 0.34 +/- 0.15 pmol/ml; P less than 0.01). The infant birth weight ratio was logarithmically correlated with the umbilical plasma C-peptide immunoreactivity (r = 0.78). SM levels were also measured by radioreceptor assay in five normal and five hyperinsulinemic rhesus monkey fetuses. When chronic hyperinsulinemia was produced by continuous SC infusion of insulin in the fetal rhesus monkey, the fetal birth weight ratio was also found to be logarithmically correlated with the fetal plasma insulin concentration (r = 0.81). The fetal SM peptide content was elevated only in the fetuses with plasma insulin levels greater than 3000 microU/ml. The fetal weight gains in response to hyperinsulinemia in the human and rhesus are similar. Since fetal SM levels in the humans and monkeys were not significantly different in the two groups, our data suggest that insulin plays the predominant role in stimulating human and subhuman primate excess fetal weight gain of the infant of the diabetic mother during the latter part of gestation.

Mycobacterium thermoresistibile infection in an immunocompromised host

This is the second report of Mycobacterium thermoresistibile as the etiological agent of a pulmonary granuloma and the first occurrence of this organism in a patient who has not been outside the continental United States. The organism is susceptible to rifampin, ethambutol, and streptomycin but resistant to isoniazid and p-aminosalicylic acid.

Levels of insulin-like growth factors I and II in human cord blood

Levels of insulin-like growth factors I and II (IGF-I and IGF-II) and somatomedin peptide content (SMPC) were measured in 32 normal term and 11 preterm infants. After acid chromatography to remove somatomedin-binding protein, SMPC was measured by placental membrane radioreceptor assay, while plasma IGF-I and II concentrations were measured by specific RIAs. SMPC levels in term infants were significantly below normal adult levels [0.49 +/- 0.13 (+/- SD) U/ml for infants compared to 1.30 +/- 0.25 U/ml for adult males]. IGF-I levels in term infants were also low, averaging 113 +/- 35 ng/ml for infants; the normal adult levels is 184 +/- 32 ng/ml. The IGF-II level was 282 +/- 84 ng/ml for infants and 687 +/- 169 ng/ml for adults. Both IGF-I and II levels in preterm infants were lower than those in term infants. IGF-I, and IGF-II, and SMPC levels showed a positive correlation with birth weight in term infants. Both IGF-I and IGF-II levels showed a strong positive correlation with gestational age in all infants.