Single cilium in human leukemic cells heterotransplanted into hamsters

Single cilium formation was studied in two human hematopoietic cell lines, KCL-22 and MT-2, KCL-22, established from a patient with chronic myelogenous leukemia in blastic crisis, and MT-2, a human cord T cell line carrying human T-lymphotropic virus type I, were transplanted into hamsters. Ciliogenesis was observed in both cell lines, only after transplantation into hamsters.

D-factor: modulation of expression in fibroblasts

Differentiation inducing factor (D-factor) is a recently described protein. The gene has been cloned, but little is known concerning regulation of expression of the gene. Our study showed that fibroblasts from a variety of tissues (lung, bone marrow, gingiva, foreskin) constitutively expressed D-factor RNA. Levels of expression of this gene increased in fibroblasts of each of the tissues after exposure to several stimuli including products of activated macrophages and lymphocytes (tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin 1 and lymphotoxin). Other stimuli were those capable of activating either protein kinase C (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and teleocidin), G-binding proteins (NaF) or those inhibiting protein synthesis (cycloheximide). Accumulation of D-factor RNA by TNF may in part be explained by stabilization of D-factor transcripts; TPA and cycloheximide clearly stabilized D-factor transcripts. We and others have shown that these same signals similarly stimulated fibroblasts to express RNAs coding for a variety of cytokines including three colony-stimulating factors as well as interleukins 1 and 6. Taken together, D-factor probably is a participant in the cascade of cytokines that are produced in mesenchymal cells after various stimuli such as bacterial invasion.

Changes in Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase gene during induced erythroid and myeloid differentiation

We investigated the alteration of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase during erythroid and myeloid differentiation in order to elucidate its physiological significance in different types of cells. We measured enzyme activity and mRNA levels of superoxide dismutase in the process of differentiation to erythroid cells or myeloid cells. When human leukemia K562 cells are incubated in the presence of 80 microM hemin, benzidine-positive cells appear on day 1 and 80% of the cells become positive on day 5. During hemin-induced erythroid differentiation, Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase activity increases 3.5-fold of the initial value and mRNA for Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase increases prior to the activity to the same extent. On the other hand, when human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells are incubated in the presence of 1.3% dimethyl sulfoxide, nitroblue tetrazolium-positive cells reach approximately 90% on day 5. During dimethyl sulfoxide-induced myeloid differentiation, the activity of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase decreases below 15% of the initial value on day 5 and mRNA for Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase decreases as well. The results indicate that the synthesis of superoxide dismutase is linked with either the erythroid or myeloid differentiation program.

[Characterization of the factor VIII inhibitor in a patient with chronic renal failure]

A 29-year-old women, who had been treated by hemodialysis for 5 years because of chronic renal failure, developed bleeding tendency in March 1989. Laboratory data showed prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time which was not corrected by addition of normal plasma; factor VIII activity was less than 1% and factor VIII inhibitor 70 Bethesda units/ml. The inhibitor was eluted in the second peak which corresponded to IgG when the plasma was subjected to Sephacryl S 200 column. The further purified IgG fraction by passing through protein A column showed a factor VIII inhibitor activity of 52 Bethesda units/ml. The factor VIII inhibitor epitopes were examined by western blotting technique using factor VIII purified by monoclonal antibody as the antigen. The factor VIII preparation used was composed of a doublet of light chain (Mr 80,000) and three heavy chains (Mr 160,000-200,000) when examined by immunoblotting using anti-factor VIII light and heavy chains monoclonal antibodies after SDS-PAGE. Factor VIII inhibitor that arose in a hemophilia A patient recognized the light chain, and the inhibitor in this case reacted to the heavy chain of factor VIII.

A Ki-1 (CD30)-positive T (E+, CD4+, Ia+)-cell line, DL-40, established from aggressive large cell lymphoma

A new human lymphoma cell line, designated DL-40, was established from the peripheral blood of a 64-year-old woman with leukemic conversion of aggressive large cell lymphoma. The cell line grew in suspension with or without forming clumps of cells and exhibited large, round, or multiple nuclei in the relatively abundant cytoplasm that was positive for acid phosphatase. The cells expressed a Ki-1 antigen (CD30), E+, CD2+, CD4+, CD45+, Ia+ phenotype and had rearranged T-cell receptor beta chain but were negative for CD15, HTLV-I, and Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen. Chromosome analysis of this cell line showed a human female karyotype with complex hyperdiploid abnormalities. DL-40 cells produced tumors histologically similar to the original lymphoma when transplanted into nude mice and immunosuppressed hamsters. The DL-40 cell line could provide a useful tool for the understanding of biology of the Ki-1-positive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Transmission of HTLV-I by blood transfusion and its prevention by passive immunization in rabbits

To determine the minimum volume of blood required to transmit human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I), heparinized blood was collected from a virus-infected female rabbit and aliquots of 10, 5, 1, 0.5, 0.1, and 0.01 mL were transfused into groups of two male rabbits each. All 10 rabbits transfused with 10 to 0.1 mL and 1 of 2 rabbits transfused with 0.01 mL seroconverted for HTLV-I after 2 to 4 weeks. HTLV-I-producing lymphoid cell lines of recipient origin were established from one seroconverted rabbit of each aliquot group. To determine the ability of passive immunization to protect against HTLV-I infection, two groups of three rabbits were first transfused with 5 mL of blood from the same virus-infected rabbit and then infused after 24 or 48 hours with 10 mL of HTLV-I immune globulin (77 mg/mL of IgG) prepared from seropositive healthy persons. None of the 24-hour immunization group seroconverted for HTLV-I during the observation period of six months; however, all of the 48-hour immunization group became seropositive after 2 to 4 weeks. These results indicate that HTLV-I can be transmitted with as little as 0.01 mL of virus-infected blood, and that passive immunization is effective in preventing cell-to-cell infection of HTLV-I when given within 24 hours of transfusion of virus-infected blood.

Clinico-pathological studies of LEC rats with hereditary hepatitis and hepatoma in the acute phase of hepatitis

The LEC rat, which suffers from hereditary hepatitis, was examined for elucidation of its clinicopathological characteristics during development of the acute phase of hepatitis by quantitative analyses of histological observations of the liver in combination with laboratory data on various serum enzymes. The progression of acute hepatitis in the LEC rat was observed to begin insidiously early in life, i.e., a few enlarged hepatocytes and Councilman bodies appeared at around 8 weeks of age without clinical signs. Furthermore, it was revealed that the acute phase of hepatitis started with a remarkable increase of Councilman bodies, large nuclei and hepatocytes in mitosis in the liver 3 to 4 weeks before the onset of fulminant hepatitis, which is characterized by the elevation of serum enzyme activities such as GOT, GPT and gamma-GTP, and the onset of jaundice. From those observations, three stages were proposed for the progression of acute hepatitis in the LEC rat.

Type-C virus-like particles in a human B-cell lymphoma cell line

Type-C virus-like particles (VLPs) were found in an Epstein-Barr (EB) virus-infected human B-cell lymphoma cell line, SP-50B, that was established from a patient with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The cell line continuously produces a small number of type-C VLPs, 150-200 nm in diameter, over 1 year. SP-50B cells were negative for HTLV-I and HTLV-II antigens and did not contain the HTLV-I genome. In addition, two EB virus nuclear antigen (EBNA)-positive B-cell lines, SP-54-Cord and SP-57-CLL, were established from human cord blood and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), respectively, by coculture with lethally irradiated SP-50B cells. Type-C VLPs with the same morphology were also found in both cell lines.

[Successful treatment of primary myelofibrosis by busulfan pulse therapy: report of a case]

Idiopathic myelofibrosis is a disease of unknown cause characterized by systemic marrow fibrosis and extramedullary hematopoiesis. We report here a patient of myelofibrosis treated successfully by busulfan pulse therapy which was reported first by chang et al in 1988. The patient was a 62-year-old woman who was referred to us for anemia and hepatosplenomegaly in August 1984. Further examination established a diagnosis of idiopathic myelofibrosis. During the subsequent 4-year follow-up period without specific treatment in our outpatient clinic, there occurred gradual progression of anemia and hepatosplenomegaly with the spleen extending beyond the level of the umbilicus. In September 1988, she was initiated on 4-day pulse therapy of busulfan with a daily dose of 12 mg, which was repeated 10 times until July 1989. This was followed by marked improvement of anemia and hepatosplenomegaly. Post-treatment iliac marrow biopsy showed some reduction of reticulin fibers with increased hematopoietic elements as compared to pretreatment iliac marrow biopsy. The busulfan pulse therapy, therefore, appears to be a treatment of choice in idiopathic myelofibrosis.

Isochromosome 11q in acute monoblastic leukemia (M5a)

An isochromosome 11q in a patient with M5a type acute monoblastic leukemia is reported. The leukemic cells had a few azurophilic and alpha-naphthyl butyrate esterase-positive granules in the cytoplasm. Electron microscopy showed indented nuclei, abundant perinuclear fibrous bundles, and small lysosomes which were characteristic of monocytoid cells. A strong inhibitory activity against urokinase was detected in the cell lysates as compared with other leukemic cells. Cytogenetic analysis of the leukemic cells showed the karyotype 47, XY, +i(11q), which has not been observed hitherto in acute monocytic leukemia.

[Williams-Campbell syndrome complicated by multiple meniscus signs in an adult case; is it a characteristic finding?]

A 49-year-old woman visited our hospital for further examination of abnormal lung shadows in September 1984. She had suffered from pneumonia at the age of 3 years and had been treated for bronchial asthma until the age of 15. Many thin-wall cystic shadows were seen on her chest X-ray film in 1983. In July 1984, a mass-like lesion with a meniscus sign appeared in one of the cystic shadows. The number and the size of similar lesions increased with worsening of productive cough. An infiltrative shadow was recognized in the left lower lobe in September 1987 and January 1988, but was resolved by treatment by ofloxacin. Frequent bacterial examinations of sputum and bronchial secretions revealed numerous Pseudomonas aeruginosa but no fungi. Serum antibody to Aspergillus fumigatus was negative and antifungal therapy was not effective. Bronchography showed many cystic dilated bronchi, which ballooned during inspiration and collapsed with expiration. The peripheral bronchi seemed to be normal. These findings along with her clinical course led us to make a diagnosis of Williams-Campbell syndrome. The mass-like shadows were considered to have arisen from viscid secretions that were rendered round by the characteristic movement of the ectatic bronchi.

Transmission of HTLV-I to rabbits via semen and breast milk from seropositive healthy persons

Four rabbits inoculated intravenously with milk cells from 4 post-partum women seropositive for human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) and one rabbit inoculated with semen cells from a seropositive healthy man seroconverted for HTLV-I after 3-5 weeks but no seroconversion occurred in 2 rabbits inoculated with milk cells from a seronegative mother or with heated (56 degrees C, 30 min) milk cells from a seropositive mother. Attempts were made to isolate HTLV-I from peripheral blood lymphocytes harvested 5-15 weeks after cell inoculation and cultured in the presence of interleukin-2. An HTLV-I-carrying lymphoid cell line of rabbit origin was established from a rabbit inoculated with milk cells. Another long-term culture, derived from a rabbit inoculated with semen cells, also expressed HTLV-I antigens and harbored virus particles. Furthermore, transfusion of 20 ml of blood from all 5 seroconverted rabbits, but not from the 2 seronegative ones, caused seroconversion in normal recipient rabbits after 4-6 weeks.

A plasminogen activator inhibitor-2 from a promyelocytic leukemia cell line, PL-21, binds to the carboxy-terminal chain of plasminogen activators

A promyelocytic leukemia cell line, PL-21, was found to produce an inhibitor of plasminogen activators (PAI). The PAI reacted to anti-PAI-2 but not anti-PAI-1 anti-serum and had an apparent molecular weight of 43 kDa on unreduced SDS-PAGE. The PAI inhibited not only urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) but single- and two-chain tissue-type plasminogen activators (t-PAs) on plasminogen-containing fibrin plate. It formed SDS-stable complexes with both t-PA and u-PA but not with prourokinase as demonstrated by both fibrin zymography and immunoblotting using anti-PA and anti-PAI-2 antisera after SDS-PAGE. These complexes were still present even after reduction with dithiothreitol. The PAI appears to bind to the carboxy-terminal chain of both PAs, because the part of the band corresponding to the carboxy-terminal chain of PAs moved to an upper position as a result of complex formation when two-chain form of PAs were incubated with the PAI and analyzed by SDS-PAGE followed by immunoblotting.

Suppressive effects of interferons on the production and release of human T-lymphotropic virus type-I (HTLV-I)

The effects of human alpha-, beta-, or gamma-interferon (IFN) on the replication and production of human T-lymphotrophic virus type-I (HTLV-I) were investigated in a human T-cell line, MT-2. Virus transmission and production estimated by syncytium formation and HTLV-I-associated reverse transcriptase (RT) activity were strongly suppressed in the presence of alpha- and beta-IFN, but not gamma-IFN. However, the expression of virus specific proteins gp46 but not p19, p24, p28, p36, and gp68 was affected with IFNs as revealed by Western blotting analysis. Electron microscopic observations showed that some of the HTLV-I particles were trapped in the intracellular vacuoles in the presence of high doses of alpha- or beta-IFN. Continuous supply of IFNs appeared to be essential for the constant suppression of RT activity. These results suggest that alpha- and beta-IFN do not inhibit HTLV-I gene expression strikingly but suppress processing or assembly of virus proteins and/or releasing of virions in the late phase of maturation.

Persistent infection of rabbits with HTLV-I: patterns of anti-viral antibody reactivity and detection of virus by gene amplification

Two groups of rabbits were inoculated on the day of birth or at 4 weeks of age with a human T-cell leukemia virus type-I (HTLV-I)-infected and transformed rabbit cell line (Ra-I). Rabbits seroconverted to HTLV-I, as determined by indirect immunofluorescence, by 3 weeks after inoculation and remained persistently seropositive during a 22-month period of observation. Seroconversion did not occur in saline-inoculated controls. Using Western immunoblotting and radio-immunoprecipitation, persistent seroconversion occurred against viral antigens p24, p55 and gp68, while reactivity to p19 was variable between rabbits. Using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with HTLV-I gag and pol primer pairs, HTLV-I sequences were demonstrable in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and other tissues collected at 70 and 90 weeks after inoculation. DNA extracts from normal rabbit tissue remained negative under the same conditions. No qualitative or quantitative changes in leukocytes or erythrocytes were detected in the infected rabbits and no clinical signs could be directly attributed to infection with HTLV-I.

Thrombocytopenic purpura in a patient with lupus anticoagulant: requirement of both immunosuppressive and antithrombotic therapies

A 33 year old woman with severe thrombocytopenic purpura complicated by typical lupus anticoagulant developed repeated spontaneous abortion, deep venous thrombosis, and cerebral thrombosis. The platelet count fluctuated from 4,000 to 400,000/mm3 during the 13 year clinical course. The physical and laboratory findings at the time of severe thrombocytopenic purpura were compatible with the criteria of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura except for positive lupus anticoagulant. Both immunosuppressive therapy with prednisolone and antithrombotic therapy with warfarin and aspirin were necessary for the control of bleeding and venous and arterial thrombosis.

Immune suppression in HTLV-I carriers: a predictive sign of adult T-cell leukemia

Suppression of the cellular immune system appears to be a prerequisite for the manifestation of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL). In other words, ATL will develop when impairment of the immune system is caused by the infection of human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I). This defect of immune surveillance against virus-infected cells may be a result of the impairment of the function of cytotoxic T-cells (CTLs) specific for the HTLV-I-infected cells. The manifestation of ATL could be predicted by examining the function of CTLs in HTLV-I carriers. A new strategy of prevention and therapy for ATL would include an attempt to restore and fortify the CTL function of the host.

Antibody reactivity to different regions of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 gp61 in infected people

The primary protein product of the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) env gene, gp61, is cleaved to produce both the exterior (gp46) and the transmembrane (gp21) portions of the HTLV-1 envelope protein. To compare the reactivity with human antibodies of different regions of this gp61 protein, five plasmids (A, B, B1, C, and D) were constructed to express recombinant proteins (RPs) in Escherichia coli. RP-A, RP-B, RP-B1, and RP-C contain amino acid residues 26 to 165, 166 to 229, 166 to 201, and 229 to 308, respectively, of the exterior envelope protein gp46. Serum samples from HTLV-1-seropositive subjects were assayed for reactivity with these RPs by Western immunoblotting. The percentages of positive reactivity with each of the RPs were as follows: 18.9% (23 of 122) for RP-A, 89.6% (112 of 125) for RP-B, 70.2% (85 of 121) for RP-B1, and 92.9% (117 of 126) for RP-C. These results indicate that the C-terminal half of gp46 (RP-B plus RP-C) can detect 97.6% (123 of 126) of positive samples, while the N-terminal half of gp46 (RP-A) can only detect 18.9% of the HTLV-1-positive sera (P less than 0.005). Furthermore, RP-A, -B, and -C, which together span the entire length of gp46 except the first five amino acids at the N terminus and the last four amino acids at the C- terminus, detected 99.2% (125 of 126) of the HTLV-1-positive subjects. In contrast, RP-D, which contains the HTLV-1 transmembrane envelope protein gp21 minus the first amino acid at the N terminus, had a lower rate of antibody reactivity at 73.7% (84 of 114) (P less than 0.005). The difference in seropositive rates for RP-D between HTLV-1 carriers (55.6%) and adult T-cell leukemia patients (85.5%) is statistically significant (P less than 0.01). This study therefore indicates that the C-terminal half of gp46, especially the amino acid sequence from 200 to 308, contains the most reactive epitopes of the HTLV-1 gp61 envelope glycoprotein.

The establishment of Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen-positive (SP-50B) and Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen-negative (SP-53) cell lines with t(11;14)(q13;q32) chromosome abnormality from an intermediate lymphocytic lymphoma

Two lymphoma cell lines, SP-50B and SP-53, were established from peripheral blood of a 58-year-old woman with leukemic conversion of intermediate lymphocytic lymphoma. These cell lines grew in suspension with or without forming clumps of cells. SP-50B was morphologically similar to the common Epstein-Barr (EB) virus-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines and was positive for EB virus nuclear antigen (EBNA), whereas SP-53 closely resembled the patient's lymphoma cells and was negative for EBNA. Both cell lines expressed the same phenotypic markers as original lymphoma cells (CpIg+, SmIg+, OKIa1+, Leu12+) and possessed t(11;14)(q13;q32) chromosome translocation. These results indicate that although morphologically different, SP-50B and SP-53 were both derived from patient's lymphoma cells. The long-term cultivation of EBNA-positive and EBNA-negative B-cell lymphoma lines from a single donor has not been previously reported. These cell lines would provide useful tools for studying the oncogenic role of EB virus and bcl-1 oncogene that is located on chromosome 11q13.

Effect of immunization on HTLV-I infection in rabbits

Two groups of 3 rabbits, each immunized with heat-inactivated HTLV-I or a synthetic env peptide (env175-196), developed antibodies to viral proteins including gp68 and gp46. These immunized rabbits were then challenged with a transfusion of blood from HTLV-I-infected rabbits of the opposite sex. After transfusion challenge, antibody titers further rose in both groups and antibodies to HTLV-I proteins p24 and p19 newly appeared in the env 175-196 group. In addition, 3 more rabbits were infused with hyperimmune rabbit anti-HTLV-I IgG and similarly challenged with virus-infected blood. Pre-challenge sera from these rabbits showed high anti-HTLV-I titers with antibodies to envelope and core proteins. Despite transfusion challenge, the antibody titers gradually declined to undetectable levels in all 3 rabbits over a period of 16 weeks. Virus isolation was attempted from peripheral lymphocytes harvested 1 to 6 months after challenge infection and cultured in the presence of interleukin-2 (IL-2). HTLV-I-carrying lymphoid cell lines of recipient origin were established from all 6 rabbits given active immunization, whereas HTLV-I could not be isolated from any of the 3 rabbits given passive immunization. Absence of virus infection in the latter group was confirmed by negative blood transfusion assay to normal rabbits. These results indicate that hyperimmune IgG, but neither heat-inactivated HTLV-I nor env 175-196, were protective against HTLV-I infection induced by blood transfusion.

Secretion of parathyroid hormone-like activity from human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I-infected lymphocytes

Because many patients with adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) develop hypercalcemia with similar characteristics to those of humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy (HHM) (Arch. Intern. Med., 148: 921-925, 1988), we investigated if ATLL cells produce parathyroid hormone (PTH)-like activity. Conditioned media from cultures of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I-infected cell line (MT-2) as well as peripheral lymphocytes from a hypercalcemic ATLL patient stimulated cyclic AMP production in osteoblast-like rat osteogenic sarcoma cells (UMR 106) and bone resportion in organ cultures of fetal mouse calvaria. Furthermore, the stimulation of cyclic AMP production by conditioned medium of MT-2 cells was inhibited by human PTH(3-34), indicating that MT-2 cells secrete PTH-like activity. The PTH-like activity from MT-2 cells was chromatographically indistinguishable from the one extracted from a solid tumor causing HHM. The present results along with our previous observation that MT-2 cells constitutively express mRNA for PTH-related protein (Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 154: 1182-1188, 1988) demonstrate that a PTH-like activity is synthesized and secreted by these cells, and are consistent with the hypothesis that elaboration of PTH-like activity by ATLL cells may be the mechanism by which hypercalcemia develops in ATLL patients as well as in solid cancer patients with HHM. However, these results do not rule out the possibility that other factors such as interleukin 1 are also involved and may act in concert with PTH-like activity in the development of hypercalcemia in ATLL.