Transformation of human fetal thymus and spleen lymphocytes by human T-cell leukemia virus type I

Co-cultivation of human thymus and spleen lymphocytes, which were obtained from 26-week and 27-week fetuses, with a lethally-irradiated human cord T-cell line harboring human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) resulted in the establishment of T-cell lines positive for adult T-cell leukemia-associated antigens and producing HTLV-I. These cell lines had the phenotype of a helper/inducer subset of peripheral T-cells as evidenced by the reactivity with monoclonal antibodies to human T-cells.

Chromosome abnormalities, sister chromatid exchanges, and cell cycle analysis in phytohemagglutinin-stimulated adult T cell leukemia lymphocytes

Chromosome abnormalities, sister chromatid exchanges (SCE), and cell cycle kinetics were studied in phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes from 8 adult T cell leukemia (ATL) patients. In all these cases, chromosome abnormalities were observed in 5-day PHA-stimulated cultures. Four cases had characteristic marker chromosomes; two were due to a balanced translocation, t(9;21), and two to a simple deletion, 5p-. The other four cases, however, had rather complicated chromosome abnormalities, e.g., 1q+, 2q+, 5q+, 6q-, 14q+, 10p-. When chromosome abnormalities were analyzed in previously reported cases, the abnormalities were mostly distributed among chromosomes #1, #2, #5, #6, #14, and #21. These findings suggest that the abnormalities involving #1, #2, #5, #6, #14, and #21 are intimately related to ATL. The SCE frequency was in the normal range in ATL cells. Cell cycle analysis revealed that the duration of two cell cycles in cells labeled with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) required approximately 80 hr in ATL cells, whereas the time of two cell cycles in normal cells is 40 hr. These findings indicate that the ATL cell cycle time is about 40 hr, about double that of normal cells (20 hr), in PHA-stimulated cultures. ATL has been known to be a mature T cell leukemia and to respond poorly to chemotherapy. The latter may be due to the elongated cell cycle or to the mature characteristics of the leukemic cells. The association of ATL with cutaneous T cell lymphoma is also discussed.

[The relationship in the diurnal rhythm of electrical and mechanical activity between the stomach and the duodenum in dogs]

Simultaneous 24 hrs' polygraphic recording of the electrical potentials and the contractions of the stomach and duodenum was done in the unanesthetized state of mongrel dogs with chronically implanted electrodes and their interrelationship between these two organs was studied. The results obtained were as follows: In contrast to the diurnal rhythm of gastric activity after feeding, the frequency of the duodenal basic electric rhythm (BER) once increased immediately after feeding and thereafter gradually decreased during the fed state. A negative correlation was found with statistical significance between the frequencies of the gastric and duodenal BERs during the fed state. Tachygastria exhibiting the high frequency BER appeared in the antrum at the silent period of the fasting state, while any similar phenomena were not observed in the duodenum. In the fasting state, the interdigestive migrating contraction (IMC) occurred periodically and synchronously with each other of the two organs. Regarding each contraction, the duodenal contraction was inhibited at a strong contraction of the stomach. These results suggest that the BERs of the stomach and duodenum are not directly propagated to each other and that some reciprocal interaction between the two organs may come out in the fed state probably by reflexes via intramural nerve plexuses.

Excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs from the medial mesodiencephalic junction to vertical eye movement-related motoneurons in the cat oculomotor nucleus

The nature of synaptic inputs from the medial mesodiencephalic junction to motoneurons in the oculomotor nucleus innervating the superior and inferior rectus muscles was investigated in anesthetized cats, using intracellular recording techniques. Stimulation of the region produced mono- or disynaptic EPSPs and IPSPs in inferior and superior rectus motoneurons, respectively, on both sides. In a number of superior rectus motoneurons, EPSP-IPSPs or EPSPs were also induced in a similar latency range. The effective sites for inducing the monosynaptic PSPs were found within and near the dorsomedial part of the campus prerubralis.

Effect of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase inhibitors on the frequency of sister-chromatid exchanges in Bloom syndrome cells

The effect of inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase, benzamide (Bam) and m-aminobenzamide (m-AB), on sister-chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and cell growth, was examined in lymphoblastoid cell lines from a normal adult (KS-64) and from a Bloom syndrome patient (BS1-2). The presence of Bam and m-AB increased the levels of SCEs in KS-64 and BS1-2 lymphoblastoid cells. Though the net increase was similar in the two types of cell, the relative increase was much lower in the BS1-2 cells. Bam and m-AB increased the number of SCEs in BS1-2 cells to levels of 95.4 +/- 3.24 and 98.1 +/- 3.23 per cell, respectively, as compared with the baseline level of 75.5 +/- 2.16. On the other hand, when KS-64 cells were treated with Bam and m-AB, the number of SCEs increased to 27.1 +/- 1.98 and 28.6 +/- 2.71 per cell, respectively, compared with the baseline number of 6.7 +/- 0.41 per cell. These inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase also inhibited cell growth at concentrations which induced SCEs in KS-64 as well as in BS1-2 cells. No significant decrease in the poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase activity or in the amount of poly-(ADP-ribose) was detected in BS1-2 cells as compared with KS-64 cells. The mechanism by which SCEs are increased in BS1-2 cells is discussed.

Direct projection of cat mesodiencephalic neurons to the inferior rectus subdivision of the oculomotor nucleus

This study examines electrophysiologically the projection of neurons in the mesodiencephalic junction to the inferior rectus subdivision of the oculomotor nucleus, using cats anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium. Many of these neurons projected directly to the ipsilateral inferior rectus subdivision and some to both sides. The neurons appeared to distribute axon branches probably terminating within and near the subdivision. They were located in the medial region of the mesodiencephalic junction between A 6.5 and 8.0 histologically corresponding to the campus prerubralis.

Dimorphism of sister chromatid exchange in Bloom's syndrome B- and T-cell lines transformed with Epstein-Barr and adult T-cell leukemia viruses

The present study describes the establishment of both B- and T-cell lines from the peripheral blood cells of two Bloom's syndrome (BS) patients and one healthy female by using Epstein-Barr (EBV) and adult T-cell leukemia viruses (ATLV). The cell lines from normal and BS subjects exhibited cell surface markers compatible with B- and T-cell origin; in addition, the BS B- and T-cell lines retained the original cytogenetic characteristics of the syndrome. Even though phytohemagglutinin-stimulated BS lymphocytes from the two BS patients studied all showed high levels of sister chromatid exchange (SCE), the established BS B-lines with EBV yielded two separate lines each, i.e., one with increased SCE and another with normal levels of SCE; also, one of the BS T-lines retained high SCE levels in 100% of the cells, whereas the other BS T-line contained two populations, one with high SCE (70%) and the other with normal SCE levels (30%), at a relatively constant frequency over a period of 6 months. Neither EBV nor ATLV caused a significant increase in chromosome instability in the established lines compared to fresh lymphocytes. Reinfection of the BS B- and T-cell lines with EBV or ATLV did not alter the SCE or karyotypes. These results strongly suggest that BS patients have two populations in vivo, one with high and another with normal levels of SCE, at least in the lymphoid cell system.

Analyses of bromodeoxyuridine-associated sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in Bloom syndrome based on cell fusion: single and twin SCEs in endoreduplication

When Bloom syndrome (BS) cells labeled with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) for one round of DNA replication were fused with nonlabeled normal cells, the hybrid cells had a normal level of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) at the first mitosis after fusion. However, when normal cells treated with mitomycin C (MC) were fused with nontreated normal cells, the MC-induced SCE was not affected by fusion with normal cells. Single and twin SCEs were analyzed in the Colcemid-induced endoreduplicated normal and BS lymphoid B cells from diplochromosomes. In normal cells, the same number of SCEs occurs in each of the two cell cycles; the SCE ratio of single (6.30 SCEs per cell) to twin (2.92 SCEs per cell) was 2:1 on the endoreduplicated-cell basis, showing 1:1 on the diploid-cell basis. In BS cells, the SCE ratio of single (144.8 SCEs per cell) to twin (5.9 SCEs per cell) was 25:1 on the endoreduplicated-cell basis and was 12:1 on the diploid-cell basis. These studies strongly suggest that most of the BS SCEs occur during the second cell cycle when BrdUrd-containing DNA is used as template for replication and that the normal level of BS SCE observed at the first mitosis of the hybrid cells is the result of SCE inhibition resulting from the fusion with normal cells.

Isolation in culture of a type C virus from a Japanese monkey seropositive to adult T-cell leukemia-associated antigens

Co-cultivation of lymphocytes from two Japanese monkeys, one of which was seropositive to adult T-cell leukemia (ATL)-associated antigens (ATLA), gave rise to a lymphoid cell line derived from the anti-ATLA negative monkey. This cell line harbors ATLA and type C virus particles identical in morphology to ATL virus.

Establishment of B-lymphoid cell lines retaining cytogenetic characteristics of Bloom syndrome

The present study describes the establishment of and chromosomal changes in B-lymphoid cell lines from cells of Bloom syndrome (BS) patients using Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Even though PHA-stimulated BS lymphocytes from all five patients studied showed high levels of sister chromatid exchange (SCE), three EBV-transformed BS-B-lymphoid cell lines had normal levels of SCE and two yielded two types of cell populations, i.e., one with increased SCE and chromosome instability (including breaks and quadriradials) and another with normal levels of SCE and without structural aberrations. The karyotypic abnormalities, as observed in the BS lines have not been seen in the cells of any established normal B-lymphoid lines transformed by EBV and strongly suggest that the chromosome abnormalities in the BS--B-cell lines with abnormal karyotypes originated in vivo and not through an in vitro effect of EBV. Furthermore, in the EBV-transformed B-cell lines, we found quadriradial formation between sister chromosomes during endomitoses instead of between homologous chromosomes, strongly suggesting that quadriradial formation may be closely related to SCE. The coexistence in BS subjects of abnormal and normal populations of cells with respect to the number of SCE awaits explanation.

A summary of cytogenetic studies on 534 cases of chronic myelocytic leukemia in Japan

Cytogenetic and clinical data on 534 patients with chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) were collected from 10 institutions in Japan. The results of the analysis of the data were in substantial accord with those of the First International Workshop on Chromosomes in Leukemia and other published data, but certain differences were noted in the frequency of Philadelphia chromosome (Ph1)-negative cases, unusual and complex Ph1 translocations, and additional chromosome changes. Some of the findings are discussed with respect to the origin of unusual and complex Ph1 translocations, the relationship between chromosome abnormalities and survival, and geographic differences in chromosome abnormalities.

Transformation of Bloom syndrome T-lymphocytes by cocultivation with a lethally irradiated human T-cell line carrying type C virus particles

The present study describes the establishment of T-cell lines from the peripheral blood of two Bloom syndrome (BS) patients and one healthy female by co-cultivation with a lethally irradiated human T-cell line (MT-2) carrying adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) virus (ATLV). The cell lines from normal and BS subjects exhibited cell surface markers compatible with T-cell origin, and BS T-cell lines retained the original cytogenetic characteristics of the syndrome. Even though phytohemagglutinin-stimulated BS lymphocytes from the two BS patients studied all showed high levels of sister chromatid exchange (SCE), one of the BS T-lines retained the high SCE level in 100% of the cells and the other BS T-line contained two populations, one with high SCE (70%) and the other with normal SCE (30%), at a relatively constant frequency over 6 months. Transformation of normal and BS cells by cocultivation with MT-2, which carries ATLV, did not cause karyotypic changes over 6 months. ATLV infection, chromosome instability, karyotypic abnormality and SCE in BS T-lymphocytes are also discussed.

Transformation of rabbit lymphocytes with T-cell leukemia virus

Co-cultivation of rabbit lymphocytes with a human cell line carrying adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) virus (ATLV) resulted in the establishment of an ATLV-producer rabbit cell line. This cell line expressed ATL-associated antigens and reacted with antisera to the structural proteins of human T-cell leukemia virus which is identical or closely related to ATLV.

[Establishment and characterization of ATLV-producing cell lines]

Peripheral blood lymphocytes from a Japanese monkey (Macaca fuscata) were co-cultivated with lethally irradiated MT-2 cells that carry abundant type C virus particles (ATLV) isolated from a patient with adult T-cell leukemia (ATL). After six weeks, a lymphoid cell line designated Si-1 was established from the simian lymphocytes. The Si-1 line was E-, SIg-, Leu-1-, OKI1+, EBNA-, ATLA+ and ATLV+. Co-cultivation of peripheral blood lymphocytes from three anti-ATLA positive and two negative healthy adults resulted in the establishment of three lymphoid cell lines derived either from an anti-ATLA positive donor or both donors. All three cell lines were E+, SIg-, Leu-1+, OKI1+, EBNA-, ATLA+ and ATLV+. This mixed lymphocyte culture technique provides a simple means for the isolation of ATLV from healthy ATLV carriers.

Analysis of single and twin sister chromatid exchanges in endoreduplicated normal and Bloom syndrome B-lymphoid cells

Single and twin sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) were analysed in the colcemid-induced endoreduplicated normal and Bloom syndrome (BS) B-lymphoid cells with diplochromosomes. In normal cells, an equal number of SCEs occur in each of the two cell cycles; the ratio of single (= 5.51 SCEs/cell) to twins (= 2.64 SCEs/cell) was 2:1 on the endoreduplicated-cell basis, and it was 1:1 on the diploid-cell basis. In contrast, in 29 endomitoses from one BS B-lymphoid line, a manyfold increase of single SCEs was detected and 139.4 single SCEs on the average were counted, whereas twin SCEs were rare and only 4.9 twin SCEs were countable. In BS cells, the ratio of single (= 139.4 SCEs/cell) to twins (4.9 SCEs/cell) was 28:1 on the endoreduplicated-cell basis, and it was 14:1 on the diploid cell-basis; the rates of S1 and S2 exchanges were 4.9 and 69.7 SCEs/cell, respectively. The present study strongly indicates that most of BS SCEs occur during the second cell cycle when BrdU-containing DNA is used as template for replication and that BrdU enhances BS SCEs.

A summary of cytogenetic, morphologic, and clinical data on t(8q - ;21q+) and t(15q + ;17q-) translocation leukemias in Japan

Cytogenetic, morphologic, and clinical data of 33 acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) patients with t(8q - ;21q+) and 19 patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) were collected from seven laboratories in Japan. The latter class included 18 patients with t(15q + ;17q-) and one with a normal karyotype. The t(8q - ;21q+) and t(15q + ;17q-) translocations were each shown to be associated with a specific type of ANLL, namely, AML-M2 and APL-M3, respectively. No patient with APL had the M3 variant. The t(8q - ;21q+) translocation seems to be more common as an abnormality in ANLL in Japan as compared to findings in other countries. The high incidence of t(15q + ;17q-) among Japanese patients with APL indicated in this study, however, still awaits confirmation.

Diagnostic and prognostic significance of chromosome abnormalities in marrow and mitogen response of lymphocytes of acute nonlymphocytic leukemia

Chromosomes of bone marrow from 28 patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) (26 with AML, 2 with AMMoL), 19 of whom had chromosome abnormalities, were studied; 11 cases exhibited previously unreported karyotypic abnormalities. The marrows of two cases had 8-21 translocations associated with an iso-X chromosome in the female patient and with 9q13- and a missing Y in the male patient. Usually, AML patients with a 8-21 translocation have been considered to have a good prognosis; however, our cases had rather short survival times. Therefore, the prognosis of AML with an 8-21 translocation but associated with other abnormalities is still not clear. Centromere spreading (CS), which was originally reported in marrow cells of megaloblastic anemia (B12 and folic acid deficiency), was detected in leukemic cells, disappeared during remission, and reappeared on relapse. These findings suggest that CS may be a new type of abnormality in AML. In two patients with atypical hypoplastic anemia and hemolytic anemia, chromosome abnormalities were detected at the anemic stage. One case with CS was associated with atypical hypoplastic anemia and developed AML after 1 year; the other with 48,XY,+i(1q),+3,/12 and -14 had hemolytic anemia and developed AMMoL 3 weeks later. Interestingly, identical clones were detected both before and after the clinical diagnosis of leukemia. These cases strongly support the concept that some chromosome abnormalities precede the clinical manifestations of leukemia. The present study also revealed that lymphocytes in ANLL respond poorly to PHA in the presence of high numbers of blasts but do respond well to mitogens during remission. Therefore, the response of lymphocytes to PHA may serve as one criterion for determining remission.

A T-cell line derived from normal human cord leukocytes by co-culturing with human leukemic T-cells

A unique T-cell line, MT-2, was established from normal human cord leukocytes of a male infant by co-culturing with leukemic T-cells from a female patient with adult T-cell leukemia. MT-2 cells expressed receptors for sheep erythrocytes and complement and were reactive with anti-T-cell and anti-Ia sera. They were negative for Fc receptors, surface immunoglobulin, and Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen. Chromosomally, the MT-2 line was male and most cells were shown to have a normal diploid karyotype. The cultured cells were tumorigenic when transplanted into immunosuppressed newborn hamsters.