Correlation between CA19-9 production in vitro and histological grades of differentiation in vivo in clones isolated from a human pancreatic cancer cell line (SUIT-2)

The production of carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) were investigated in 28 clones isolated from a human pancreatic cancer cell line (SUIT-2) and related to in vitro morphology of the clones and in vivo tumorigenicity. Clones of fusiform and polygonal cells could be morphologically distinguished in confluent cultures. There was no significant difference in CEA production between fusiform-cell clones (2.10 +/- 2.70 ng/L x 10(6) per 24 h) and polygonal-cell clones (6.01 +/- 7.30 ng/L x 10(6) per 24 h), but polygonal-cell clones had higher production of CA19-9 (1176.1 +/- 1628.4 U/L x 10(6) per 24 h) than fusiform (6.0 +/- 7.3 U/L x 10(6) per 24 h; P < 0.01). Production of CA19-9 in vitro correlated with the histological grade of differentiation in vivo in nude mice (r = 0.73, P < 0.001), but CEA production did not. The polygonal-cell clones developed well-differentiated carcinomas in vivo and produced significantly more CA19-9 (P < 0.001) than fusiform-cell clones, which generally developed into poorly differentiated tubular adenocarcinomas in vivo. This cell line may provide an appropriate system for further studies of the biology and therapy of pancreatic cancer.

Correlation between spontaneous metastatic potential and type I collagenolytic activity in a human pancreatic cancer cell line (SUIT-2) and sublines

A human pancreatic cancer cell line (SUIT-2) and four sublines cloned in vitro (S2-007, S2-013, S2-020 and S2-028) were inoculated into nude mice for assessment of metastatic potentials. After 16 weeks of subcutaneous injection, the parent SUIT-2 line metastasized to the lungs and lymph nodes in three of six mice. S2-007 cells presented the highest metastatic potential in pulmonary (5/6) and lymph node (2/6) metastases among the four sublines. No metastasis was found in S2-028. The incidence of spontaneous pulmonary metastasis was correlated with that of pulmonary colonization after intravenous (i.v.) injection of cell clusters (r = 0.87, P = 0.056). Pulmonary colonization potential using single cells, however, did not always reflect a spontaneous metastatic ability. Type I collagenolytic activity in serum-free conditioned media of these cells was correlated effectively with the incidence of spontaneous pulmonary metastasis (r = 0.92, P = 0.026) and pulmonary colonization after i.v. injection of cell clusters (r = 0.95, P = 0.013). Thus, type I collagenolytic activity may possibly be essential to spontaneous cancer metastasis.

Deceptively high thyroid hormone levels in a neonate due to autoantibodies against thyroid hormones transferred from a mother with Graves' disease

At birth, a clinically euthyroid male neonate was found to have unexpectedly high levels of free T3 and T4 concurrent with a high TSH level. The mother was treated with propylthiouracil for Graves' disease during and after pregnancy. The neonate also had an extremely high titer of TSH receptor antibodies. He soon became clinically thyrotoxic as TSH levels were suppressed and thyroid hormone levels rose. After instituting antithyroid therapy, TSH levels became elevated again, while thyroid hormone levels decreased but were still above normal. Around 3 months after birth, both TSH receptor antibodies and discordance, between the levels of thyroid hormones and TSH, disappeared. Because of high maternal TSH levels in conjunction with an elevated free T3 level at 7 months postpartum, we suspected the presence of autoantibodies against thyroid hormones (AAb). Maternal and infant blood samples were then examined retrospectively for AAb and were detected in all the samples except those of the infant taken more than 3 months after birth. The authors, therefore, suggest that physicians be aware of the presence of AAb in pregnant women with Graves' disease, in order to avoid inappropriate treatment which could lead to fetal and neonatal hypothyroidism.

A possible clinical application of multicytokine-producing cytotoxic mononuclear cell (MCCM) therapy

When peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were incubated with a streptococcal preparation, OK-432, for 24 h, PBMC acquired cytolytic activity against cultured and fresh human tumor cells. Such PBMC were called OK-432-activated mononuclear cells (OK-MC). OK-MC produce several kinds of cytokines such as interferon alpha (IFN alpha), IFN gamma, and tumor growth inhibitory factor (TGIF) both in vitro and in vivo. OK-MC-produced cytokines also inhibited the growth of cultured and fresh human tumor cells. The growth inhibition was examined by human tumor clonogenic assay using a double-layer agar technique. The results indicate that two pathways of anti-tumor activity are induced in OK-MC, i.e., cell-mediated and cytokine-mediated.

Evaluation of the serum level of immunosuppressive substance in oral cancer patients

The serum level of immunosuppressive substance (IS) was studied in 40 patients with primary oral cancer and in 79 patients without cancer. Its usefulness was evaluated as a parameter for monitoring therapy as well as recurrence of the tumors. Mean values for serum IS in patients with cancer and patients without were 687 +/- 284 micrograms/mL and 464 +/- 153 micrograms/mL, respectively. Normal healthy controls had a mean value of 431 +/- 105 micrograms/mL, with the cutoff value set at 641 micrograms/mL (mean +2 SD). Patients without cancer who had a severe infectious disease showed conspicuously high serum IS levels, and these values were closely correlated with their C-reactive protein values. The positive rate of IS increased in all patients with oral cancer was 58%. The mean level of serum IS in cancer patients was significantly higher than that of the controls (P less than .01), and the level was found to be more elevated as the stage of the disease advanced (stage I to III, 48%; stage IV, 68%). Histologic analysis of the tumor cells in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) showed that the mean serum IS level of those who had poorly differentiated SCC was much higher (937 +/- 181 micrograms/mL) than that of patients with well-differentiated SCC (616 +/- 159 micrograms/mL). Patients who had recurrent or metastatic cancer, or those who died from the cancer exhibited marked elevation of the serum IS levels, whereas patients who remained free of cancer in the follow-up period showed significantly lower serum IS levels. The rise and fall of the serum IS level was closely correlated with the disease progression and/or remission. These data strongly suggest that serum IS is a useful parameter for monitoring the disease stage as well as the effect of therapy on patients with oral cancer.

Anticancer activity of free gamma-linolenic acid on AH-109A rat hepatoma cells and the effect of serum albumin on anticancer activity of gamma-linolenic acid in vitro

The cytotoxicity of gamma-linolenic acid (C18:3n-6) against rat hepatoma AH-109A cells and the effect of bovine serum albumin (BSA) on its toxicity were examined in culture. The proliferation of AH-109A cells, evaluated by the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide assay, was significantly suppressed by gamma-linolenic acid above 5 micrograms/ml concentration in serum-free culture medium. However, its toxicity was reduced by supplement of BSA. Similar observation of reduced toxicity by BSA was shown by the method of trypan blue dye exclusion and a colony formation assay. The cytotoxicity of gamma-linolenic acid was correlated closely with the concentration of unbound (free) gamma-linolenic acid. Production of thiobarbituric acid reactive material, one of the indicators of lipid peroxidation, was stimulated by gamma-linolenic acid and inhibited by BSA. These results suggested that the presence of albumin suppressed the cytotoxicity of the free fatty acid.

Numerical analysis of the human nostril by the Fourier series

Fourier series has been applied in a numerical analysis of the human nostril morphology. The relationship between the nostril form and the Fourier coefficients was examined: the constant affected the size, the first term determined the roundness, and the second term determined the flatness of the morphology. The inclination of the apse line was calculated from the phase of the second term. Ninety-five standardized nostril photographs were analyzed by Fourier series: 48 of adult Japanese females and 47 of German females. The German nostril was larger in size, flatter in shape, and the apse line closer to the sagittal plane than the Japanese counterpart. As a clinical application of nostril digitization, pre- and post-operative cleft lip noses were analyzed. Fourier analysis has proved to be useful in a numerical evaluation of morphological differences of, and post-operative changes made to, the nostril.

Malignant lymphoma of the thyroid and Epstein-Barr virus

We have investigated the specific immune response to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients with malignant lymphoma of the thyroid. Coculture of PBMC and EBV resulted in EBV cell transformation and regression which was assayed by an EBV-induced B cell focus-regression assay technique. The EBV had been isolated from mouthwash samples. The specific immune response to EBV by outgrowth inhibition in PBMC from untreated EBV-seropositive patients with malignant lymphoma was significantly decreased when compared to PBMC from EBV-seropositive healthy subjects (p less than 0.05). This observation is at least consistent with the possibility that B-cell proliferation after continuous or recurrent EBV infection could be a causative factor or may potentiate malignant lymphoma of the thyroid.

The development and reversal of tolerance to antianginal effect of isosorbide dinitrate in patients with effort angina

The development and reversal of tolerance to the hemodynamic and anti-anginal effects of isosorbide dinitrate in a sustained release form (ISDN-SR) were investigated in 11 male patients (mean age 58.9 y.o.) with stable effort angina. Treadmill exercise test, evaluation of hemodynamic parameters and measurement of plasma ISDN concentrations were performed during the control period, on the 1st, 7th and 14th days of therapy with 40 mg of ISDN-SR orally every 8 h and, subsequently, on the day when ISDN-SR was re-administered after a 72 h placebo period (17th day). Initially, exercise tolerance time (ETT) was prolonged significantly (p less than 0.001) by ISDN-SR from 257 +/- 50 sec in the control period to 434 +/- 55 sec on day 1. This prolongation was significantly reduced with sustained therapy and ETT was shortened to 332 +/- 69 sec on the 7th day (p less than 0.01 vs day 1) and 326 +/- 73 sec on the 14th day (p less than 0.01 vs day 1). The effects of ISDN-SR initially observed were restored after a 72 h placebo period and ETT was prolonged to 432 +/- 57 sec on the 17th day. The resting heart rate was increased significantly (p less than 0.01 vs control) and systolic blood pressure was decreased (p less than 0.001 vs control) by ISDN-SR on day 1. These changes were also diminished significantly (p less than 0.01 vs day 1) with sustained therapy and were restored after a 72 h nitrate-free interval.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Mechanical adaptation of heart rate change for coronary circulation in patients with and without ventricular hypertrophy

To clarify the mechanical adaptation and interference of coronary vessels, we studied hemodynamics of coronary circulation in control and 4 different pacing rates (80, 100, 120, 150/min) in 5 patients with angina pectoris (AP) and in 5 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Coronary sinus flow (CSF) was measured by a Webster's thermodilution catheter, and we applied ascorbic acid-platinum reaction for the mean transit time measurement in left coronary flow (t0-t2). Coronary vascular bed (CVB) was obtained by multiplying CSF and t0-t2. CSF in AP gradually increased from 104 +/- 21 ml/min at 72/min to 148 +/- 42 ml/min at 120/min, while CSF in HCM changed slightly from 91 +/- 25 ml/min at 64/min to 94 ml/min at 120/min. Average t0-t2 in HCM was 6.0 +/- 1.6 sec in control which was significantly lower than that in AP (7.8 +/- 0.7 sec). Calculated CVB in AP increased at any given heart rate up to 120/min (13.5 +/- 2.4, 15.8 +/- 1.7, 15.0 +/- 4.7, 15.1 +/- 4.3 ml), but CVB in HCM decreased from 9.1 +/- 2.3 ml at 64/min to 8.1 +/- 1.7 ml at 120/min. These data suggest that myocardial compression and suction at different heart rates and with different cardiac muscle structures play an important role for beat to beat adjustment of coronary circulation in cardiac cycle.

Combination therapy with diltiazem and nifedipine in patients with effort angina pectoris

The antianginal effects of diltiazem and nifedipine alone and in combination were evaluated in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 11 patients (nine men and two women, 57 +/- 8 years old) with stable effort angina. Each patient received placebo, 30 mg of diltiazem, 10 mg of nifedipine, and 30 mg of diltiazem plus 10 mg of nifedipine four times daily for 1 week each. Antianginal efficacy was assessed by means of a treadmill exercise test. The exercise tolerance time was significantly prolonged from 235.1 +/- 52 (placebo period) to 342.2 +/- 101 sec by diltiazem (p less than .01) and to 325.6 +/- 73 sec by nifedipine (p less than .01). The drug combination further prolonged exercise time to 451.1 +/- 103 sec, which was significantly longer than the interval attained with either diltiazem (p less than .01) or nifedipine (p less than .01) alone. The plasma concentration of diltiazem was unaffected by the addition of nifedipine, whereas the plasma nifedipine concentration was significantly increased from 34.8 +/- 11 to 106.4 +/- 37 ng/ml (p less than .001) by the concomitant administration of diltiazem. These data suggest that exercise tolerance in patients with effort angina is increased by the concomitant administration of diltiazem and nifedipine associated with an increase in the nifedipine plasma concentration.

[Establishment and characterization of human colonic and gastric cancer cell lines]

Two human cancer cell lines, DAIT-6 from a colonic cancer and IT-25 from a gastric cancer, derived from xenografts in nude mice have been established in tissue culture and maintained for over two years. In tissue culture, DAIT-6 cells grew in a monolayered sheet with a population doubling time of about 45.0 hr, and floated or piled up to form small buds above the monolayered surface in relatively confluent cultures. Chromosomal counts ranged from 40 to 108 with a modal number of 59. The cells secreted CEA (1.7 ng/1 x 10(6) cells/24 hr) and CA19-9 (540.5 u/1 x 10(6) cells/24 hr) in spent medium. The IT-25 cells grew in a monolayered sheet with a population doubling time of about 57.8 hr in tissue culture. The IT-25 cells also secreted CEA (0.5 ng/1 x 10(6) cells/24 hr) and CA19-9 (120.0 u/1 x 10(6) cells/24 hr) in spent medium. The xenografts for DAIT-6 and IT-25 in nude mice were histopathologically classified as a moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma and a well differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma, respectively.

Portopulmonary shunt by splenopneumopexy for portal hypertension in children

Portopulmonary shunting by splenopneumopexy was successfully performed on seven children with portal hypertension, associated with extrahepatic portal vein occlusion in six and congenital hepatic fibrosis in one. Technically, this procedure is very simple and safely performed even in infancy. No operative mortality has been encountered to date. All children with portal hypertension treated by this portopulmonary shunt are doing very well, without any disturbances in their growth. Their postoperative survival ranges from 8 years and 9 months to 17 years and 9 months. Splenic pulp pressure was reduced to a postoperative mean value of 306 +/- 40.7 mmH2O from a preoperative mean value of 402.9 +/- 35.7 mmH2O. Hemorrhages esophageal varices were completely controlled postoperatively. Postoperative liver function tests were essentially unchanged from the preoperative values.

Differences in regulatory mechanisms of atrial and ventricular muscle contraction in bovine heart

The purpose of this study was to characterize the regulatory mechanisms of atrial muscle contraction. Natural actomyosin (NAM) and tropomyosin-troponin (TM-TN) complex were prepared from atrial and ventricular muscle of the same bovine heart. The results were as follows: (1) Atrial NAM was more sensitive to Ca2+ than was ventricular NAM: the pCa required for 50% ATPase activation was 5.96 +/- 0.10 vs. 5.63 +/- 0.07, (mean +/- SE; n = 6; p less than 0.01); (2) reconstitution of desensitized actomyosin of rabbit skeletal muscle plus atrial or ventricular TM-TN complex produced higher Ca2+ sensitivity in atrial muscle than in ventricular muscle: the pCa required for 50% ATPase activation was 6.48 +/- 0.10 vs. 6.23 +/- 0.15 (n = 3; p less than 0.05); (3) the amount of inorganic phosphate covalently bound to atrial NAM was equivalent to that bound to ventricular NAM; (4) SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the two NAMs revealed several protein bands of different mobility from 16,000 to 30,000 daltons; and (5) the superprecipitation response of atrial NAM was characterized by a stepwise change in turbidity after the addition of MgATP, in contrast to the biphasic pattern of ventricular NAM. These data suggest that the free Ca ion concentration required for atrial muscle contraction is lower than that required for ventricular muscle contraction and that the difference is attributable to differences in atrial and ventricular regulatory proteins.

Establishment and characterization of rat pancreatic beta cell lines transformed by simian virus 40

Rat pancreatic beta cells were transformed by simian virus 40 (SV40). The established beta cell lines expressed tumor antigen specific to SV40 and retained the ability to produce immunoreactive insulin (IRI) even at a high passage level. One of 12 transformed beta cell lines, SV-PB1205, was further investigated in vitro and in vivo. Firstly, effects of drugs on replication of the pancreatic beta cells were examined in in vitro experiments. Various drugs increased the uptake of 3H-thymidine into the cells. Those included D-glucose, tetragastrin and secretin. However, such effect was not observed for glucagon and growth hormone. Secondly, the SV40-transformed pancreatic beta cells were transplanted into diabetic rats. This produced such improvement of plasma glucose level at least for 2 weeks. The Significance of those experiments was discussed.

"Transformation" of human endothelial cells by SV40 virions

Human endothelial cells derived from the umbilical vein were transformed with SV40 virions. A cell line subcultured for over 60 serial passages was characterized in comparison with its untransformed counterpart which was culturable for less than five passages. The SV40-transformed human endothelial cells, designated SV-HUVEC, were positive not only for tumor (T) antigen specific to the SV40-transformed cell, but also for two markers of endothelial cells, Factor VIII-related antigen and a receptor for Ulex europaeus agglutinin I. By transformation the growth potential of the human endothelial cells was increased and their serum requirement was decreased. The SV40-transformed endothelial cells were, however, unable to form colonies in soft agar or to form tumors in athymic nude mice, although a small nodule was produced at the site of inoculation. Subcultivation of these cells up to the 62nd passage eventually resulted in crisis and loss of further cell division. Thus, the human endothelial cells were transformed by SV40 while retaining certain normal functions but without showing tumorigenicity.

Kinetics of carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 production in a human pancreatic cancer cell line (SUIT-2)

Kinetics of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) production in a human pancreatic cancer cell line (SUIT-2) were investigated. Production of CEA reached a maximum, 31.0 ng/1 X 10(6) cells, in the late stationary phase with transient decline during the early exponential phase and 15.5% of the produced CEA was released into the medium, while production of CA19-9 reached a maximum, 421 U/1 X 10(6) cells, in the early stationary phase and 68.8% of the produced CA19-9 was released into the medium. Accordingly, the kinetics of CEA and CA19-9 production of SUIT-2 in vitro might be independent. CEA was stained immunohistochemically in the cytoplasm of the cells forming small buds above the monolayer cell sheet. On the contrary, CA19-9 positive cells were observed scattered in the monolayer cell sheet and CA19-9 was stained in the cytoplasm, predominantly at the projections of the cell surface. CEA and CA19-9 were also detected in the sera of nude mice bearing SUIT-2 tumors and their concentrations correlated well with tumor volume. Correlation coefficients between tumor markers and tumor volume were 0.79 (p less than 0.01) for CEA and 0.90 (p less than 0.01) for CA19-9.

Evaluation of diseased coronary arterial branches by polar representations of thallium-201 rotational myocardial imaging

The perfusion territories in polar representations of stress Tl-201 rotational myocardial imaging in patients with angina pectoris who had one diseased coronary segment were analyzed. The lesions proximal or distal to the first major septal perforator in left anterior descending arteries were detected by the presence or absence of defects at the base of the anterior septum. Right coronary artery lesions were detected by the presence of defects at the basal posterior septum, in contrast to the preservation of myocardial uptake at this portion in lesions of the left circumflex artery. The specific defect patterns were detected in cases with lesions at the first diagonal, obtuse marginal, and posterolateral branches. Recognition of these defects in the polar maps allows detailed detection of diseased coronary arterial branches.

Internalization of serratial protease into cells as an enzyme-inhibitor complex with alpha 2-macroglobulin and regeneration of protease activity and cytotoxicity

Extracellular serratial protease (56,000 Da) is known to be cytotoxic. Fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled protease was found to form a complex with human alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M), and this enzyme-inhibitor complex was purified. The protease was found to be internalized by fibroblasts in culture as a complex with alpha 2M, which resulted in cell destruction. Regeneration of enzyme activity was confirmed in cells after 2-3 h of incubation. Chicken egg-white ovomacroglobulin, a homolog of human alpha 2M, formed a complex with this enzyme similarly and more tightly but failed to exhibit protease activity, cytotoxicity, and internalization into cells.