Human stomach alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDH): a genetic model proposed for ALDH III isozymes

Isozyme phenotypes of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) from human gastroendoscopic as well as surgical gastric biopsies were determined by starch gel electrophoresis and agarose isoelectric focusing. gamma gamma ADH isozymes were expressed predominantly in the mucosal layer of the stomach, whereas beta beta isozymes were in the muscular layer. In the 56 gastroendoscopic mucosal biopsies examined, the homozygous ADH3 1-1 phenotype was found in 75% of the samples, and the heterozygous ADH3 2-1 phenotype in 25%. Accordingly, the gene frequencies of the alleles ADH1/3 and ADH2/3 were calculated to be 0.88 and 0.12, respectively. Using a modified agarose isoelectric focusing procedure, gastric ALDH I, ALDH II, and up to five ALDH III forms could be clearly resolved. The ALDH III isozymes accounted for more than 80% of the total ALDH activities in gastric mucosa and exhibited Km values in the millimolar range for propionaldehyde at pH 9.0. Forty-five percent of the 55 gastroendoscopic biopsies studied lacked ALDH I isozyme. The complex gastric ALDH III isozyme phenotypes seen in these biopsies fall into three patterns. They can be interpreted by a genetic hypothesis, based on a dimeric molecule, in which there are two separate genes, ALDH3a and ALDH3b, with the ALDH3b locus exhibiting polymorphism. The homozygous phenotypes ALDH3b 1-1 and ALDH3b 2-2 were found to be 4 and 76%, respectively, and the heterozygous ALDH3b 2-1 phenotype 20%, of the total. Therefore, the allele frequencies for ALDH1/3b and ALDH2/3b were calculated to be 0.14 and 0.86, respectively. Several lines of biochemical evidence consistent with this genetic model are discussed.

Escherichia coli secretion of an active chimeric antibody fragment

A chimeric mouse-human Fab protein that binds specifically to the human carcinoma cell line C3347 has been expressed and secreted from Escherichia coli. This molecule, which contains functionally assembled kappa and Fd proteins, binds as effectively to sites on the surface of C3347 cells as Fab fragments prepared proteolytically from whole chimeric or mouse antibody. The production in Escherichia coli of foreign heterodimeric protein reagents, such as Fab, should prove useful in the management of human disease.

Liver alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase isoenzymes in Chinese

Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) isoenzyme phenotypes were determined in 71 autopsy liver specimens by agarose isoelectric focusing and starch gel electrophoresis, respectively. Ninety percent of the livers examined exhibited a pH-optimum for ethanol oxidation at pH 8.5, instead of 10.5 which is usual among Caucasians. The homozygous ADH2 2-2 phenotype was found to be 59%, and the heterozygous ADH2 2-1 phenotype, 31%. The remaining 10% of the livers, exhibiting a pH-optimum at 10.5, were homozygous ADH2 1-1 phenotype. Accordingly, the gene frequencies of the alleles ADH2(2) and ADH2(1) were calculated to be 0.75 and 0.25, respectively. Fifty-eight percent of the 71 livers examined possessed both the activities of ALDH I and ALDH II isoenzymes, whereas 42% lacked the ALDH I activity. The implications of these distributions of liver ADH and ALDH isoenzyme patterns among Orientals for ethanol elimination, alcohol sensitivity and alcoholism are discussed.

Chimeric mouse-human IgG1 antibody that can mediate lysis of cancer cells

A chimeric mouse-human antibody has been created that recognizes an antigen found on the surface of cells from many carcinomas. Immunoglobulin constant (C) domains of the mouse monoclonal antibody L6, C gamma 2a and C kappa, were substituted by the human C gamma 1 and C kappa by recombining cDNA modules encoding variable or C domains. The cDNA constructs were transfected into lymphoid cells for antibody production. The chimeric antibody and mouse L6 antibody bound to carcinoma cells with equal affinity and mediated complement-dependent cytolysis. In the presence of human effector cells, the chimeric antibody gave antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity at 100 times lower concentration than that needed for the mouse L6 antibody. The chimeric antibody, but not the mouse L6 antibody, is effective against a melanoma line expressing small amounts of the L6 antigen. The findings point to the usefulness of the chimeric antibody approach for obtaining agents with strong antitumor activity for possible therapeutic use in man.

Synthesis, evaluation of chemical reactivity, and murine antineoplastic activity of 2-hydroxy-5-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-6,7-bis(hydroxymethyl)-2,3-dihydro-1H- pyrrolizine bis(2-propylcarbamate) and 2-acyloxy derivatives as potential water-soluble prodrugs

2-Hydroxy-5-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-6,7-bis(hydroxymethyl)-2,3-dihydro-1H- pyrrolizine bis(2-propylcarbamate) (11) was prepared in a multistep synthesis. The 2-hydroxy group was used to prepare ester prodrugs 14 and 15, and the antineoplastic activities of 11, 14, and 15a were compared to 1 (the 2-deoxy analogue of 11) in murine P388 lymphocytic leukemia and B16 melanocarcinoma. The alcohol 11 showed comparable activity to 1, while 14 was less active and 15a showed very low activity. The hydrolytic rates of 1, 11, 14, 15a, and 15b were compared, and it was found that the two carbamate moieties were much more susceptible toward hydrolysis than the C-2 esters. The salts 15a and 15b exhibited good water solubility, 3.0 X 10(-2) and 3.88 X 10(-2) M, respectively.

Identification of 2-keto-4-methylthiobutyrate as an intermediate compound in methionine synthesis from 5'-methylthioadenosine

The synthesis of methionine from 5'-methylthioadenosine was examined in vitro using cell-free homogenates of rat liver. We had previously reported that methionine synthesized by this system contained carbons from the ribose moiety of 5'-methylthioadenosine (Backlund, P. S., Jr., and Smith, R. A. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 1533-1535). The present study examines some of the steps involved in this conversion. 2-Keto-4-methylthiobutyrate was identified as one of the products of 5'-[methyl]14C]methylthioadenosine when incubated in vitro with rat liver homogenates. Partial purification of the enzyme system by gel exclusion chromatography to remove small molecular weight substrates and cofactors revealed that synthesis of 2-keto-4-methylthiobutyrate requires magnesium and is inhibited by calcium. 5-Methylthioribose 1-phosphate can replace 5'-methylthioadenosine as a substrate for methionine synthesis under these conditions, but 5-methylthioribose cannot. 5-Methylthioribonic acid was prepared and was found not to be an intermediate compound in this pathway. The final step in this pathway for methionine synthesis is then the transamination of the keto acid, catalyzed by glutamine and asparagine transaminases.

Vinylogous carbinolamine tumor inhibitors. 8. Activity of bis(acyloxymethyl) derivatives of pyrroles and pyrrolizines against a panel of murine leukemias and solid tumors

The activity of three pyrroles and four pyrrolizines is compared in several different experimental leukemias and solid tumors in mice. Two compounds were particularly noteworthy, the bis(N-cyclohexylcarbamate) and the bis[N-(2-propyl)] derivatives of 2,3-dihydro-5-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-6,7-bis(hydroxymethyl)-1H-pyrrolizine. These two compounds showed a very high level of activity against B16 melanocarcinoma, CD8F1 mammary tumor, colon tumor 26, and colon tumor 38, and a significant number of "cures" were recorded. The isopropyl compound was more potent than the cyclohexyl compound, but both showed a similar profile of activity.

Studies on the progress of occupational cervicobrachial disorder by analysing the subjective symptoms of work-women in assembly lines of a cigarette factory

The Committee on Cervicobrachial Syndrome in Japan Association of Industrial Health (JAIH) made a report on the questionnaires for checking for the complaints of patients suffering from Occupational Cervicobrachial Disorder (OCD). In order to reveal how the complaints develop in the progress of OCD, we analysed the complaints of 117 workwomen in assembly lines of a cigarette factory by using the questionnaires. And the followings were made clear: 1) At the mild stage of OCD, stiffness or dullness at the neck and shoulders, and eyestrain become remarkable. 2) At the moderate stage, pain at the neck, shoulders, arms and hands, dullness at extremities, general fatigue, pain or heavy feeling in the head, increased irritability etc. become remarkable in addition to the mild stage complaints. 3) At the severe stage, pain and dullness at the back, numbness at arms and hands, hand coldness, sleep disturbance etc. become remarkable in addition to the moderate stage complaints. 4) Various sufferings in daily life such as "I want to lie down at rest time," "I lack patience to go on reading long," "It is hard for me to go on writing long," and "Fixed sitting soon tires me" become more and more frequent as the stage advances. We consider it is important in the diagnosis of OCD to pay attention to the general symptoms such as general fatigue, pain or heavy feeling in the head, increased irritability and sleep disturbance, together with complaints at the neck, shoulders, arms and hands.

A surveillance of human influenza virus in swine in southern Taiwan

From September 1970 to December 1971, samples were taken monthly from farm pigs, piglets and abattoir pigs in Southern Taiwan for virus isolations and serologic studies. A total of 10 strains of hemagglutinating agent were isolated in January and July 1971, following 2 epidemics of human influenza occurring in December 1970 and June 1971, respectively. Three strains were antigenically confirmed as influenza A similar to A/Hong Kong/68 virus.

Cold water immersion test in patients with vibration disease

Peripheral vascular disorder is one of the most important symptoms in diagnosing vibration disease. Several kinds of tests have been introduced to evaluate the peripheral vascular function. Among those tests, cold water immersion test has been mostly applied. In Japan, the generally used method is to measure the skin temperature of one finger of the hand immersed up to the wrist joint in water at 5 degreesC for 10 minutes. However, because the suffering during the test is so severe and some unfavorable warning symptoms have been observed during group examinations, a safer and milder method is more desirable. In order to examine the applicability of the test by using water at 10 degreesC in comparison with that at 5 degreesC, and to know the degree of suffering during the tests, a comparative study was performed. Sixteen students and 29 patients with vibration disease joined in this study. The results suggest that water at 10 degreesC can be effective stimulus, if the immediate rewarming response is used for evaluation. The self-rating scores revealed that the suffering was milder in case of water of 10 degreesC than at 5 degreesC for both the students and the patients. And the patients seemed to suffer more from chest discomfort than the students.

Enterotoxigenicity and invasive capacity of "enteropathogenic" serotypes of Escherichia coli

Forty-two strains of Escherichia coli that agglutinated in pools of antisera used to identify "enteropathogenic" serotypes were tested for heat-labile and heat-stable toxin production and for their ability to invade intestinal mucosa. None of the strains tested were enterotoxigenic or enteroinvasive as determined by the adrenal cell (heat-labile toxin), the suckling mouse (heat-stable toxin), or guinea pig eye (invasive capacity) assays. Our observations suggest that serotyping of E. coli is an unreliable method to identify isolates that are capable of causing gastroenteritis, at least as determined by available in vitro techniques.

Influenza virus isolations from dogs during a human epidemic in Taiwan

During an islandwide outbreak of human influenza in June and July 1971, throat swabs were taken from dogs and cats in 3 urban communities of Taiwan. Eight influenza isolates were obtained from dogs in July 1971: two were identified as influenza A closely related to the human Hong Kong/68 virus, and one was a strain of influenza type B closely resembling human influenza B virus. The latter is the first such reported isolation from dogs under natural conditions.

Renal adenocarcinoma in an owl monkey (Aotus trivirgatus)

A renal adenocarcinoma in the right kidney of a 5-year-old female owl monkey is reported.