A study of childhood renal tumours using xenogeneic antiserum

Fifty-six primary childhood renal tumours, 14 normal and 12 fetal kidneys were examined for their staining reaction with xenogeneic anti-Wilms' antiserum. The antiserum was raised by injecting Wilms' tumour extracts into 6-month-old rabbits which had been rendered tolerant in utero with pooled normal kidney extracts. Renal carcinomas, mesoblastic nephroma and a large proportion of tubular wilms' tumours were stained by the antiserum. In contrast, 6 of 7 bone-metastasising renal tumours of childhood (BMRTC) failed to fluoresce when treated with the antiserum, suggesting that the BMRTC has a different origin from the other childhood renal tumours studied.

Predictive value of serum complement (C3) in renal allograft rejection

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not changes in serum concentrations of complement component C3 are of value in predicting the long term survival of the transplanted kidney. C3 was quantitated by radial immunodiffusion in fresh sera drawn immediately before transplantation and twice weekly thereafter from 10 recipients. Fourteen episodes of acute rejection occurred during the first 3 months postoperatively. These were diagnosed by the demonstration of graft tenderness, fever without evidence of infection and a rise in serum creatinine of 1 mg/dl in the absence of urinary or vascular obstruction. Five rejection episodes in 3 patients were associated with a fall in C3. In one of these patients, C3 returned to normal levels after the episode was reversed, and the kidney is functioning well 2 years after transplantation. In the other 2 patients, C3 remained at low levels regardless of anti-rejection therapy. Transplant nephrectomy was soon required for irreversible rejection. In contrast, only 1 episode unaccompanied by a fall in C3 was irreversible. Evidence is provided concerning the value of serial C3 complement determinations as a predictor of rejection in renal allografts. Using the variability measure Si, the cumulated standard deviation up to week i, Si > 10 not only predicts rejection but does so rather early, providing more than 90 per cent of the ideal lead time. This suggests that loss of a graft may be predicted, but this needs confirmation in additional cases.

Weibel-Palade bodies in endothelial cells as a marker for angiogenesis in brain tumors

A transmission electron microscope study was made of eight childhood brain tumors divided up into three zones, center, edge, infiltrating zone, and also of adjacent "normal-looking" brain. In seven of eight tumors, the numbers of Weibel-Palade bodies in endothelial cells were significantly increased in peripheral zones compared with central zones. A similar significant increase was observed after treatment of chick chorioallantoic membranes with tumor angiogenesis factor. It is suggested that large numbers of Weibel-Palade bodies may be a marker for proliferating endothelial cells in vivo.

Physiology of parasites: transaminases (GOT and GPT) in the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne lucknowica Singh 1969, and effect of sex on its enzyme levels

The glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) activity was found to be greater than the glutamicoxalacetic transaminase (GOT) activity in the mixed as well as in separate sexes of M. lucknowica. The sexual differences were 44.26% in GOT levels and 41.8% in GPT levels of the two sexes of the parasite, and the females showed higher enzymatic activity than their males.

Isolation and characterization of endothelial cells from rat and cow brain white matter

A procedure is described for obtaining pure cultures of endothelial cells from rat and cow brain white matter. The morphology of the tissue-cultured cells was studied by both light and transmission electron microscopy. Weibel-Palade bodies, described in the literature as specific for endothelial cells, appeared in small numbers in our cultured cells. Autoradiographic, scintillation counting, immunological and histochemical studies were performed. The usefulness of pure endothelial cell cultures is discussed.

Relevance of the barium follow-through examination in the diagnosis of adult celiac disease

Significant changes on a standard barium follow-through examination in celiac disease have been determined by comparison with functional changes (irritable bowel syndrome), malabsorption without a villous lesion (chronic pancreatitis), and a villous abnormality without malabsorption (dermatitis herpetiformis). Patients with iron deficiency anemia formed the control group. Slight jejunal dilatation (26-30 mm) was found in 15% of the celiacs and 17% of the irritable bowel patients. Dilatation in excess of 30 mm and/or effacement of jejunal fold pattern occurred only with an abnormal jejunal biopsy, in 54% of the celiacs and 33% of the dermatitis herpetiformis patients. Patients with malabsorption by itself and 46% of the celiacs could not be distinguished from those with irritable bowel syndrome. The concept of a malabsorption pattern is considered invalid, and the diagnosis of celiac disease can be reliably established only by peroral jejunal biopsy.

Rectal IgE cells in inflammatory bowel disease

Immunoglobulin-contained cells in the rectal mucosa of patients suffering from non-specific inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) were counted and compared with those in a control population. While the numbers of IgA, IgM, and IgG-containing cells in both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease did not differ from normal, both disease groups exhibited a marked increase in IgE-staining cells. This increase in IgE-cells did not correlate with severity, duration, or treatment of disease and it did not prove possible, using these immunological studies, to differentiate between Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Isatin inhibition of rat testicular alkaline phosphatase. A non-allosteric phenomenon

Isatin has been found to inhibit rat testicular alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1) uncompetitively. The hyperbolic curve relating inhibition as a function of substrate concentration; the persistence of inhibition after the tertiary structure of the enzyme has been altered by heat denaturation, exposure to urea or papain digestion; the small changes in entropy, free energy and enthalpy in the presence of isatin, and the number of isatin molecules (n = 1.29) combining with one molecule of enzyme indicate the non-allosteric nature of inhibition.

Steroid treatment for routine immunosuppression in cadaver renal transplantation. A survey of hospitals

A review of data from 22 hospitals in the U.S. and Canada, comprised of information on 1700 kidney transplant patients, shows a consistent pattern with respect to usage of steroids both as routine treatment and for rejection episodes. High doses are associated with greater patient mortality. Graft survival is also adversely affected by very high doses, but only in the immediate post-transplant period. Our data suggest that for optimal graft and patient survival the dosage of steroids should be less than 150 mg/day of methylprednisolone on days 1-3, less than 50 mg/day of prednisone on days 4-21, less than 30 mg/day on days 22-30, and less than 20 mg/day between one mo and one yr.

Effect of administration of isatin on alkaline phosphatase of various organs of rat

In vivo administration of isatin (200 mg/kg) significantly lowered the activity of rat kidney alkaline phosphatase after 5 hr but enhanced the activity of rat duodenal and jejunal enzyme after 2 and 5 hr (P less than 0.01). The increased activity of the duodenal and jejunal alkaline phosphatase might be due to the induction of the enzyme by isatin.

Nature of inhibition of rat testicular alkaline phosphatase by isatin

Isatin has been found to inhibit rat testicular alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1). That the inhibition is non-competitive as well as non-allosteric is evident from a) the hyperbolic curve relating inhibition as a function of inhibitor concentration; b) the small change in enthalpy, free energy and entropy; c) the number of isatin molecules associating with 1 molecule of the enzyme (n=1.29); and, d) the decrease in the values of both Km and Vmax in the presence of isatin.

Deprenyl administration in man: a selective monoamine oxidase B inhibitor without the 'cheese effect'

After pretreatment with the selective monoamine oxidase B inhibitor, (-)-deprenyl, in doses sufficient for complete inhibition of the platelet enzyme, 4 normal and 6 parkinsoniam volunteers (2 receiving levodopa and 2 levodopa plus carbidopa) suffered no adverse pressor reaction ('cheese effect') after challenge with oral tyramine in amounts considerably greater than those likely to be encountered in a normal diet. Nor did the levodopa-deprenyl combination itself result in a pressor response. Normal human intestinal mucosa was shown predominantly to contain the deprenyl-insensitive A form of the enzyme, which presumably degraded administered tyramine in the deprenyl-treated volunteers; even those receiving the drug for prolonged periods manifested no 'cheese effect', suggesting that the A form remained uninhibited. Intestinal monoamine oxidase A was able to oxidise dopamine, whereas in human platelet or striatum the amine is a monoamine oxidase B substrate. Like tyramine, oral phenylethylamine challenge with amounts greater than those known to be present in a normal diet similarly gave rise to no adverse reaction in (-)-deprenyl-treated subjects; the reasons for this remain to be determined.

Induced chromosomal aberrations in somatic cells of Nigella sativa L. by mitomycin C

A cytological study was carried out on root tips of Nigella sativa L. by treatment with Mitomycin C at 0.001% for six time intervals (10, 15, 20, 30, 40, and 50 min). The chromosomal abnormalities were increasingly proportionate to the increase in time of treatment. The seedlings treated with a 0.001% concentration of Mitomycin C for 10 min. did not show any significant effect. At other time intervals, the effect was observed to be quite significant. Beyond 40 min. treatment almost all the cells would become sticky. Thirty minutes' treatment showed significant effect, inducing various types of chromosomal aberrations in the anaphase, such as bridges and fragments of 34.13% and 48.07%, respectively.

Immunoglobulins in the jejunal mucosa in adult coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis after the reintroduction of dietary gluten

Cells containing immunoglobulin (IgA, IgG, IgM) have been measured and the distribution of extracellular and epithelial cell immunoglobulin assessed in treated patients with adult coeliac disease (ACD) and dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) before and after gluten was reintroduced to the diet. Patients with ACD and DH frequently had IgM and IgG cells above the normal range even before re-exposure to gluten, although the range of IgA cells was normal. In both diseases IgA and IgM cells increased after gluten with a proportionally greater rise in the latter, so that numbers of IgM cells, but not of IgA, exceeded the control range in all but one patient. There were increased quantities of IgA and IgM extracellularly in the lamina propria and in epithelial cells after challenge with gluten. Third component of complement was also found in some biopsies after re-exposure to gluten. These findings support the suggestion that gluten induces a humoral immunological response within the small intestinal mucosa and that both IgA and IgM systems are involved.

Single plane cineangiographic study of normal left ventricular volumes in human subjects

Single plane cine angiographic estimation of left ventricular volumes in 10 Indian subjects with no evidence of left ventricular disease was carried out. The figures obtained were end diastolic volume 72.43+/-10.27 ml/M2, endsystolic volume 26.82+/-7.46 ml/M2, stroke volume 45.61+/-12.23ml/M2, ejection faction 62.30+/-10.90%. These values compare well with those already reported in literature from Western countries. No study in Indian subjects was available for comparison so far.

A study of heterosis in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Heterosis (over mid parent) and "useful" heterosis (over commercial variety H14) estimates were obtained from a line x tester analysis of crosses involving thirteen diverse female parents with two locally adapted varieties H14 (local standard) and J34. Marked heterosis was observed for seed cotton yield, boll number and halo length. The values of positive heterosis and "useful" heterosis for seed cotton yield ranged from 28.1 to 87.0% and 20.1 to 45.5%, respectively. The overall study of heterosis revealed that female parents PRS-72 (USSR), 5904F (USSR) and MCU-5 (Madras Cambodian Uganda Selection, Coimbatore) were among the top three females, showing considerable heterosis in crosses with H14 and J34 for seed cotton yield and fibre properties. The practical difficulties in exploiting the phenomenon of heterosis and possible experimental approaches in upland cotton are discussed.

Antireticulin antibodies in dermatitis herpetiformis and adult coeliac disease. Their relationship to a gluten free diet and jejunal histology

Antireticulin antibody was present in 17% of sera from thirty-five patients with dermatitis herpetiformis, 45% from twenty-eight patients with adult coeliac disease and none of thirty healthy controls. There was a higher incidence of antireticulin antibody(a) in patients on normal diets than in those on gluten free diets, and (b) in patients with subtotal villous atrophy than in those with partial villous atrophy. Two patterns of tissue staining were demonstrated, one of which was almost invariably associated with jejunal subtotal villous atrophy. The Ig class of the antibody was IgG in all instances but in 64% antibody of the IgA class was also present.

Jejunal mucosal immunoglobulin-containing cells and jejunal fluid immunoglobulins in adult coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis

Immunoglobulin-containing plasma cell densities in the jejunal mucosa and serum and jejunal fluid immunoglobulins have been measured in patients with adult coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis with and without jejunal mucosal abnormality. Studies were performed in patients before and after treatment of the jejunal lesion.Total immunofluorescent plasma cells were increased in untreated adult coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis patients with jejunal lesions, but in general the normal predominance of IgA > IgM > IgG was found. There was no difference from controls in IgA-containing cells in the two conditions before or after treatment. The numbers of IgM-containing cells were significantly increased both before and after treatment in groups of patients with adult coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis who had jejunal lesions. IgG-containing cells were significantly raised in only the before-treatment groups. Patients with dermatitis herpetiformis without jejunal lesions, even whilst on gluten-containing diets, had normal numbers of immunoglobulin-containing cells. IgA and IgM jejunal fluid immunoglobulins were significantly raised in dermatitis herpetiformis and adult coeliac disease.It is concluded that patients with dermatitis herpetiformis with jejunal morphological abnormality have a comparable immunological disturbance of the jejunal mucosa to that found in adult coeliac disease.