Deletion analysis of GAL4 defines two transcriptional activating segments

We describe the activities of a wide array of deletion mutants of GAL4, a yeast transcriptional activator. We identify two short regions of GAL4, each of which activates transcription when fused to the DNA-binding region of the molecule. Very large portions of GAL4 are not required for gene activation.

Is hypereosinophilic syndrome a malignant disease?

A patient with an abdominal mass for 4 years developed hypereosinophilia and weight loss. Bone marrow aspirations and biopsy specimens showed hypercellularity of eosinophils. No cause for hypereosinophilia was found. Biopsy specimens of several organs, including the abdominal mass, showed eosinophilic infiltration with reactive fibrosis in some. Cytogenetic studies of the bone marrow before treatment with cytoxic drugs showed chromosomal abnormalities. Several of these have been reported in association with acute or eosinophilic leukemias. Based upon these findings, the authors believe that the patient had eosinophilic leukemia and that the abdominal mass probably was an eosinophilic chloroma.

A colon cancer cell line (LIM1215) derived from a patient with inherited nonpolyposis colorectal cancer

A new human colon cancer cell line (LIM1215) has been derived from a tumor arising in a member of a family known to have a high incidence of colorectal cancer. The tumor cell line is comprised of small pleomorphic cells that clone in liquid medium and form tumors in immunosuppressed mice. Ultrastructurally, the cells are capable of differentiation, with cells with multiple microvilli and cells resembling goblet cells being present in the one culture. The cells are pseudodiploid and contain a 13p+ marker chromosome.

Granulocyte response to oxidized FMLP. Evidence for partial inactivation of FMLP

We prepared FMoxLP by oxidation of FMLP and evaluated its ability to trigger a variety of granulocyte responses. FMoxLP was found to depolarize granulocyte membranes; increase granulocyte oxygen consumption, superoxide production, and hydrogen peroxide production; compete with FMLP for binding to granulocytes; and stimulate granulocyte chemotaxis. Against all of these granulocyte functions, FMoxLP was considerably less potent than the parent FMLP. When luminol-dependent-granulocyte chemiluminescence (CL) was studied, FMoxLP was observed to be a more potent stimulus of this response than FMLP. This increased CL activity of FMoxLP may be related to nonoxidative burst mechanisms. Our results indicate that FMoxLP retains a significant amount of the biological activity of FMLP (albeit in general less potent). The biological importance of the observed activities of FMoxLP must await further investigation.

An ovarian tumour specific mucin antigen--immunohistological and biochemical studies

A new mucin antigen was detected in a mucinous cystadenoma of human ovary. An antiserum produced in rabbits against the crude cyst fluid, following appropriate absorptions, showed immunoreactivity exclusively with tumour epithelium, particularly endocervical type epithelium. The antigen responsible for the immunoreactivity was isolated in the fraction with density 1.45g/ml following density gradient ultracentrifugation in cesium chloride, which indicated that it was indeed a glycoprotein. The native glycoprotein was very large since it was excluded from Sepharose CL-2B. The complex could be dissociated following reduction with dithiothreitol. The subunits were included in Sepharose CL-2B and the position of elution would indicate a molecular weight in the order of 1-5 x 10(6). This suggests the native antigen was a complex made up of subunits held together by disulphide bonds. Amino acid analysis of the new antigen showed a resemblance with intestinal mucins, as two-thirds of the protein consists of threonine, serine, proline, alanine and glycine. This similarity in peptide core may explain the potential of the epithelium in ovarian mucinous cystadenoma to produce inappropriate intestinal mucins during the process of malignant transformation.

Inappropriate mucin production in endodermal carcinoma--one point of view

The mucosal lining cells in the gastrointestinal tract respond to a threatening situation by secreting mucins manufactured during foetal life and this secretion is considered to be an early manifestation of cytogenetic instability and which may be the first step in the process of malignant transformation. Using immunohistological techniques and specific antisera against SIMA (small intestinal mucin antigen), LIMA (large intestinal mucin antigen) and CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen) the presence of these mucin antigens was studied in resected specimens from colonic, gastric and gall bladder carcinomas as well as in mucinous tumours of the ovary. Inappropriate or oncofoetal mucins were present in the majority of endodermal carcinomas, in associated metaplastic epithelium and premalignant lesions such as polyps. These antigens were also demonstrated in normal histological epithelium at some distance from the tumour. These findings lead to a better understanding of the biological behaviour of preneoplastic lesions of endodermal tissues and will aid in developing sensitive diagnostic tests for the presence of these substances.

Persistence of organ- and iso-antigens in vitro in a long-term culture cell line of colonic carcinoma

Cells of colonic carcinoma line HT-29, cultured over more than 170 generations and extensively used in immunological studies of patients with colorectal tumours, still express several immunologically valuable characteristics presumably present since its inception. The cell line can induce a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma in the nude mouse, it has human antigenic characteristics, it expresses blood group A antigen, and produces a colon-specific mucin and CEA, though not colon cancer-specific mucin (CCM). It remains useful as a target for in vitro testing of anti-tumour immunoreactivity in colorectal cancer patients.

Intestinal mucinous substances in gastric intestinal metaplasia and carcinoma studied by immunofluorescence

Immunofluorescent studies using specific antisera against intestinal mucins revealed small intestinal mucin antigen (SIMA) and large intestinal mucin antigen (LIMA) in areas of intestinal metaplasia of the stomach. In 25 gastric carcinomas studied, both these antigens were detected in seven carcinomas, SIMA only was present in four and LIMA in only four cases; the antigens could not be detected in ten of the carcinomas. In 21 of the 25 gastric operation specimens, including the 15 carcinomas positive for intestinal mucin antigens, there was evidence of chronic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia. These immunohistologic observations confirm the results of recent histochemical studies that both small and large intestinal type mucins are present in intestinal metaplasia and gastric carcinomas. Our findings provide further evidence that at least a proportion of gastric carcinomas may supervene on intestinal metaplasia. The absence of one or both antigens in gastric carcinomas may indicate stages of dedifferentiation or alternatively differences in histogenesis.

Inhibition by nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs of luminol-dependent human-granulocyte chemiluminescence and [3H]FMLP binding. Effect of sulindac sulfide, indomethacin metabolite, and optical enantiomers (+) and (-) MK830

A system is described to evaluate for nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs by means of luminol-dependent human-granulocyte chemiluminescence (CL) is described. The CL is produced using either opsonized zymosan (yeast cells) or the soluble chemotactic peptide f-Met-Leu-Phe as the perturbant of the granulocyte membrane. Using either system, the following drug effects 2 x 10(-5) M were noted: only sulindac sulfide, and not sulindac sulfone or sulindac, displayed marked inhibition of chemiluminescence, following the in vivo data regarding inflammatory effects. The 5-OH indomethacin metabolite was likewise inactive as an inhibitor of CL mirroring in vivo effects. MK(+)410, MK(-)830 and MK835 all showed approximately 50% inhibition of CL, displaying deviation from in vivo data. MK(+)830 markedly stimulated CL, 4-6 times the control (without drug), which is clearly different from its enantiomer, MK(-)830. The reasons for this behavior are unclear. However, receptor binding studies with [3H]FMLP were accomplished in the presence and absence of the various drugs at 2 x 10(-5) M that were effective inhibitors of chemiluminescence (CL). Indomethacin, MK(-)830 and MK(+)410 had equivalent percent control binding and percent control CL. Sulindac sulfide and MK(+)835 both had higher percent control binding than percent control CL, with MK(+)835 displaying apparent increased numbers of available receptors relative to control. MK(+)830, which produces large increases in CL, produced a minor effect on percent control binding. A direct relationship between binding and CL does not exist with each drug. Chemiluminescence is dependent on ion movement and oxidative metabolism and is a secondary event to agonist-receptor occupation.

The presence of oncofoetal antigens in large bowel carcinoma

This paper is an immunohistological study of the occurrence of the oncofoetal antigens, (carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), small intestine mucin antigen (SIMA), and normal large bowel mucin antigen (LIMA) in 60 surgically resected colons: 10 non-malignant specimens and 50 colorectal carcinomas. SIMA is a new oncofoetal antigen found in mucinous carcinoma of the large bowel. In the adult it is normally present only in the duodenum and jejunum. Of the 50 carcinoma specimens, 13 were mucinous, 17 non-mucinous and 20 mixed mucinous and non-mucinous. LIMA was the only antigen detected in the mucosa of non-malignant specimens. In mucinous carcinomas only SIMA was present, whilst in the non-mucinous specimens CEA was always found and to a lesser extent LIMA. The same relationship was observed in mixed tumours: SIMA in mucinous and CEA-LIMA in the non-mucinous parts. In the mucosa adjacent to the cancer in all 50 cases there was evidence of an increase or decrease in LIMA. In 42 cases (84%) both oncofoetal antigens (CEA and SIMA) could also be detected in this transitional or perineoplastic epithelium at varying distances from the tumour. These results provide evidence to suggest that the majority of large bowel carcinomas occur in areas of metaplastic change.

Intestine-associated antigens in ovarian tumours: an immunohistological study

The presence of 3 intestine-associated antigens, small intestine mucin antigen (SIMA), large intestine mucin antigen (LIMA) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was studied in the female genital tract and ovarian tumours by immunofluorescence. These antigens could not be detected in normal ovary, benign cysts of ovary, fallopian tube or endometrium, but both LIMA and CEA were present in endocervical glandular tissue. The antigenic cross-reactivity of endocervical and large bowel mucin may indicate a close embryological relationship between these organs during the cloacogenic stage. The 3 antigens could be demonstrated in mucinous tumours of the ovary but were absent in serous or mesonephroid tumours. In one of the 2 endometroid tumours CEA was the only detectable antigen. These observations confirm the presence of intestinal type of epithelium in cystic mucinous tumours of the ovary and explain the cross-reactivity of mucin of benign tumours of the ovary and mucin from colonic cancer, normal colonic mucosa and gastric mucosa as reported by earlier workers. In the process of malignant transformation the columnar epithelium of ovarian cystadenoma seems to behave in the same way as superficial gastric and gall bladder epithelium by forming inappropriate intestine-associated mucin substances. Our technique may provide a specific means for studies on the histogenesis of female genital tract tumours, particularly ovarian tumours. It can also be used in differentiating between benign and malignant variants of these tumours.

Inappropriate mucin production in gall bladder metaplasia and neoplasia--an immunohistological study

This study demonstrates the presence of three antigens in glandular metaplasia occurring in patients with cholecystitis and cholelithiasis: specifically carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), large intestinal mucin antigen (LIMA) and small intestinal mucin antigen (SIMA). These antigens could not be detected in normal gall bladder mucosa or in squamous metaplasia of the gall bladder. The occurrence of the three intestine-associated antigens in three carcinomas was irregular. In one mucinous carcinoma, only SIMA could be demonstrated. In one adenocarcinoma, SIMA was present in small areas of mucinous change, whilst CEA was present in the non-mucinous malignant tissue. In a mixed mucinous and non-mucinous adenocarcinoma with widespread dissemination, the three antigens were present both in the primary tumour and the metastases. These observations suggest that all forms of glandular metaplasia of the gall bladder are intestinal in nature and at least a proportion of gall bladder carcinomas are of an intestinal type. Finally they provide further immunological evidence that glandular metaplasia of the gall bladder should be considered a pre-malignant condition.