Production of VIP- and PHM (human PHI)-related peptides in human neuroblastoma cells

We demonstrated the production and release of a peptide structurally identical with porcine and bovine VIP-28 in human neuroblastoma NB-OK-1 cell line. In the cells, VIP-like immunoreactive (IR-VIP) components of 8 K dalton (Kd), 11 Kd, 18 Kd and 30 Kd were also detected and the 8 Kd and 18 Kd components were apparently released into the culture medium, indicating the possibility of less extended or limited processing of the VIP precursor in the cultured cells of tumor origin. The cells were also shown to produce, simultaneously with the VIP-28, a PHI/PHM-like immunoreactive (IR-PHI/PHM) component which coeluted with synthetic PHM-27, not PHI-27, in reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In addition to the PHM-27-like component, another IR-PHI/PHM component was detected in the cell extract which eluted in HPLC immediately before synthetic PHM-27 and crossreacted with PHI-27 amino-terminal specific antiserum but not with PHI-27 central-portion specific or PHM-27 carboxyl-terminal specific antiserum. The presence in NB-OK-1 cells of this IR-PHI/PHM component related to the amino-terminal portion of PHI/PHM suggested possible alternative(s) of post-translational processing of the VIP precursor in the cells in terms of the production of PHM-27-related peptides.

[Adjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer--relation between long-term administration of FT-207 and prognosis]

The effect of adjuvant chemotherapy with FT-207 on survival rates in gastric cancer patients was evaluated. Patients who underwent curative gastrectomy in our Department were classified into the four groups: (A) short-term chemotherapy; total doses of 5 g 5-fluorouracil, or 1/2 MF (F') C alone (futraful 400mg/day, or 5-fluorouracil 250 mg/day for 3 weeks, mitomycin C 2 mg and cytosine arabinoside 20 mg twice a week for 3 weeks; (B) intermediate term chemotherapy; 1/2 MF (F') C followed by the oral administration of futraful 0.6g/day for less than 6 months; (C) long-term chemotherapy; 1/2 MF (F') C followed by futraful 10.6g/day longer than 6 months (D) control; no chemotherapy No significant difference back ground factors among four groups was found. Patients who recurred during the administration of drugs were excluded from this study. The survival rate of Group (C) in stage III was significantly higher than that of Group (A), (B) and (D) (generalized Wilcoxon test, p less than 0.03). There was no difference between (B) and (D). The survival rate of Group (A) was lower than Group (D). The effectiveness of chemo- therapy was not observed in patients with stage I and II. Survival rates of patients receiving futraful longer than 3 months continuously were significantly higher compared to patients who had to discontinue the drugs due to side effects. These results suggested that the adjuvant chemotherapy with futraful lasting more than 6 months prolonged the survival time, but short-term chemotherapy decreased the survival rate when compared with no chemotherapy group.

[Immunological evaluation of splenectomy in tumor-bearing mice]

The effect of splenectomy upon neoplastic outgrowth was examined after inoculation of methylcholanthrene-induced C3H/He murine tumors. Three days or 20 days after tumor inoculation, splenectomy resulted in significant retardation of tumor growth when compared with sham operation, while splenectomy 6, 9, 15 days after tumor inoculation did not alter the tumor outgrowth. These results suggest that spleen might have immunologically negative element in early or late stage of tumor burden. In fact, spleen cells from mice bearing MCA-F tumors for 3 days or 30 days nonspecifically facilitated the tumor outgrowth in Winn assay. The non-specific tumor-enhancing cells were radioresistant (700 rads), capable of phagocytizing carbonyl-iron and adherent to plastic dish suggesting those were tumor enhancing macrophages. On the other hand, spleen cells from tumor-bearing mice for 9 to 15 days specifically reduced the tumor growth in Winn assay, and those cytotoxic cells were radio-sensitive (700 rads) T cell population.

[Mucohistochemical studies of CEA producing and non-producing stomach cancers]

In this report, 141 patients with gastric cancer were studied histochemically. Tissue CEA was stained by the CEA-PAP method and the gastric cancer was classified into CEA-producing (96 cases, 68.1%) and CEA non-producing gastric cancer (45 cases, 31.9%). Histologically, CEA-producing gastric cancer was well differentiated adenocarcinoma and CEA non-producing gastric cancer was chiefly undifferentiated carcinoma. PAS, pH 2.5 Alcian-blue, High Iron Diamine, Alkaline-PAS, and Concanavalin A paradoxical stain were applied to specimens from each type of gastric carcinoma. Mucosubstances of CEA-producing gastric cancer were positive for A-B, HID, AL-PAS and CPS III-1; those of CEA non-producing gastric cancer were positive for PAS and CPS III-s, but negative for A-B, HID and A1-PAS. These results suggest that CEA-producing gastric cancer arises from intestinal metaplasia of gastric mucosa and that CEA non-producing gastric cancer arises from the gastric mucosa itself.

[Chemotherapy of gastric cancer patients with hepatic metastases]

The effect of post-operative adjuvant chemotherapy on the prognosis of gastric cancer patients with hepatic metastases was evaluated. Forty-two cases were classified into-following four groups: (A) no chemotherapy, (B) short-term chemotherapy (5 g of 5 FU i.v., or 1/2 FM (F') C alone), (C) long-term chemotherapy (1/2 MF (F') C plus 0.6 g of FT-207 per os), (D) long-term chemotherapy (1/2 MF (F') C plus 1.5 g/day of FT-207 per annum). Six, nine, twelve month survival rates of patients in group (D) was significantly higher than group (A). Mean survival time of each group was: (A) 4.7, (B) 5.2, (C) 5.7 and (D) 9.1 months. Correlation between the survival time and the total dose of FT-207 was observed. Total dose of FT-207 in group (D) was 129.3 g and 60.8 g in group (C). These may reflect the results that the rectal administration was more effective than the oral administration of FT-207.

[Effectiveness of acetylspiramycin for Mycoplasma pneumonia in children (author's transl)]

The clinical efficacy and safety of acetylspiramycin for Mycoplasma pneumonia in children were studied at a dose level of 50 mg/kg/day q.i.d. and the following results were obtained. Acetylspiramycin showed effect in 24 patients out of 25 (96.0%). The level of transminase was increased in 3 cases on admission. One of them was an uneffective case, and eruption was seen after administrating the drug. Diarrhea and poor appetite were observed in one case as side effects, and they were controlled easily. It may be concluded from these results acetylspiramycin was relatively free from side effects and considered to be useful for Mycoplasma pneumonia.