Patchiness of embedded particles and film stiffness control through concentration of gold nanoparticles

Patchy particles are fabricated using a method of embedding-into and extracting-from thick, biocompatible, gel-like HA/PLL films. Control over the patchiness is achieved by adjusting the stiffness of films, which affects embedding and masking of particles. The stiffness is adjusted by the concentration of gold nanoparticles adsorbed onto the surface of the films.

Correlation of primary tumor engraftment in immune deficient mice and relapse rate in patients with early-stage non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC)

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Background: Compared to cell lines, primary tumor xenografts potentially are more clinically relevant cancer models as they more closely reflect the phenotype and genotype of the original cancer. However, only a minority of tumors engraft successfully in severe combined immune deficient (scid) mice and can be passaged serially. Although xenograft models are used extensively, few studies have investigated whether tumors that engraft represent a distinct clinical subset. We hypothesized that NSCLC tumors with more aggressive clinical and histological features have greater engraftment capacity than those with a less aggressive phenotype. Methods: Fresh primary tumors were harvested from NSCLC patients who underwent curative resection. Tumor fragments were implanted into the subcutaneous tissue of non-obese diabetic-scid mice within 24 hrs of excision. Patient characteristics for tumors that engrafted (XG) and did not engraft (No-XG) were compared. Only tumors from patients with >1-yr follow-up were evaluated for time to progression (TTP) and to correlate clinicopathological features with engraftment. Results: Between March 2005 and October 2008, 110 tumors were implanted. Of these, 45 (41%) engrafted and were passaged serially in vivo. The histological features of the primary were retained in 93% of XG tumors. Squamous cell carcinomas engrafted significantly more than adenocarcinomas (57% versus 26%, p=0.03). There were no significant differences in differentiation grade or clinical stage between the XG and No-XG groups. XG patients had significantly shorter TTP than the No-XG group (10.19 versus 18.64 months, p=0.003). In multivariate analysis the ability to form a xenograft was an independent predictor of relapse (HR 4.15 95% CI 1.152–14.94, p=0.03). Conclusions: Xenograft models can be established from the histological spectra of NSCLC encountered in the clinical setting and mimic closely the features of their primary tumors. The capacity of these tumors to engraft may be predictive of a more aggressive phenotype and poorer clinical outcome.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Nonrigid registration of 3-d multichannel microscopy images of cell nuclei

We present an intensity-based nonrigid registration approach for the normalization of 3-D multichannel microscopy images of cell nuclei. A main problem with cell nuclei images is that the intensity structure of different nuclei differs very much; thus, an intensity-based registration scheme cannot be used directly. Instead, we first perform a segmentation of the images from the cell nucleus channel, smooth the resulting images by a Gaussian filter, and then apply an intensity-based registration algorithm. The obtained transformation is applied to the images from the nucleus channel as well as to the images from the other channels. To improve the convergence rate of the algorithm, we propose an adaptive step length optimization scheme and also employ a multiresolution scheme. Our approach has been successfully applied using 2-D cell-like synthetic images, 3-D phantom images as well as 3-D multichannel microscopy images representing different chromosome territories and gene regions. We also describe an extension of our approach, which is applied for the registration of 3D + t (4-D) image series of moving cell nuclei.

Noninvasive mechanical ventilation improves endurance performance in patients with chronic respiratory failure due to thoracic restriction

OBJECTIVE

Treatment with noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NMV) alleviates hypoventilation and improves gas exchange in patients with chronic respiratory failure (CRF) due to thoracic restriction. However, little is known about the effects of NMV on respiratory and peripheral muscle endurance.

DESIGN

Prospective case-control study.

SUBJECTS

Ten patients in clinically stable condition (age, 53.5 +/- 8.2 years [mean +/- SD]) with mild-to-moderate CRF due to thoracic restriction (PCO(2) between 45 mm Hg and 55 mm Hg) were treated with NMV during the night for 3 months. Ten matched patients (age, 52.2 +/- 9.5 years) receiving 3 months of normal care without NMV served as a control group.

INTERVENTION AND MEASUREMENTS

After a 3-day period of familiarization with the endurance tests, all patients performed a baseline preintervention inspiratory threshold loading test, cycle ergometer test, and shuttle walking test on the same day. The endurance tests were then repeated following the 3-month intervention period.

RESULTS

NMV was used on average for 7.1 +/- 0.9 h/d during the 3-month period. There was a significant improvement in endurance time (p < 0.0001) in all three endurance tests in the NMV group compared with the control group. In the NMV group, endurance time increased by 278 +/- 269% during the inspiratory threshold loading test, by 176 +/- 159% during the cycle ergometer test, and by 32 +/- 22% during the shuttle walking test. Significant improvements (p < 0.01) in both PO(2) and PCO(2) were also observed in the NMV group but not in the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

Three months of treatment with NMV increases both respiratory and peripheral muscle endurance in patients with CRF due to thoracic restriction.

Oxygen mass-transfer coefficients for different sample containers used in the headspace biochemical oxygen demand test

To accurately measure the oxygen demand of a wastewater sample in a headspace biochemical oxygen demand (HBOD) or other respirometric test, the rate of oxygen transfer to the aqueous phase must be greater than the oxygen exertion rate by the sample. Oxygen mass-transfer coefficients (Kawa) measured for 28-, 55-, and 160-mL, partially full (18 to 89%) containers placed on their sides on a shaker table and mixed at 200 r/min averaged 8.0 h-1 (range 5.4 to 9.9 h-1). For this mass-transfer coefficient, HBOD values as great as 1340 mg/L.d are possible at the start of an HBOD test, although the maximum daily HBOD declines to 192 mg/L.d at the end of the test because of oxygen depletion in the sample headspace. Mass-transfer coefficients for shaken samples decreased only at low shaking speeds (< 50 r/min). Oxygen mass-transfer coefficients for shaken samples were always larger than those (average of 1.8 h-1) measured for samples in a 250-mL bottle mixed with a stir bar on a stir plate. These mass-transfer coefficients indicate that the oxygen demand of typical full-strength municipal wastewaters can be measured in HBOD tests without oxygen transfer limiting the reaction rate.

Norwalk-like virus sequences detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in mineral waters imported into or bottled in Switzerland

Norwalk-like viruses (NLVs) is a genus belonging to the Caliciviridae. NLVs are transmitted by the fecal-oral and the aerosol route and are the most common cause of outbreaks of nonbacterial gastroenteritis. NLVs are responsible for an estimated 67% of all illnesses caused by known foodborne pathogens and for 96% of nonbacterial gastroenteritis in the United States. Many outbreaks could be associated with the consumption of primarily or secondarily contaminated foods. To our knowledge, no epidemic arising from contaminated mineral water has been reported. We investigated the presence of NLV sequences in 63 mineral waters of 29 different brands that were imported into or bottled in Switzerland. NLV sequences were detected in 21 mineral waters by reverse transcription-seminested polymerase chain reaction. Specimens of two NLV genogroups (gg), gg I and gg II, were randomly present in the contaminated samples. The presence of NLV sequences could not be correlated either with bottle characteristics or with chemical properties like mineralization, pH, or the presence of carbonic acid. Nucleotide sequence analysis of 12 NLV-positive samples revealed several point mutations. All isolated NLV gg I strains have a similarity of 70 to 87% with the common Desert Shield virus (UO4469), and all isolated NLV gg II strains have a similarity of 89 to 93% with the Camberwell virus (U46500). Possible reasons for the presence of NLV sequences in mineral waters are discussed.

A phase I study of combination therapy with immunotoxins IgG-HD37-deglycosylated ricin A chain (dgA) and IgG-RFB4-dgA (Combotox) in patients with refractory CD19(+), CD22(+) B cell lymphoma

This study used an 8-day continuous infusion regimen of a 1:1 mixture of two immunotoxins (ITs) prepared from deglycosylated ricin A chain (dgA) conjugated to monoclonal antibodies directed against CD22 (RFB4-dgA) and CD19 (HD37-dgA; Combotox) in a Phase I trial involving 22 patients with refractory B cell lymphoma to determine the maximum tolerated dose, clinical pharmacology, and toxicity profile and to characterize any clinical responses. Adult patients received a continuous infusion of Combotox at 10, 20, or 30 mg/m2/192 h. No intrapatient dose escalation was permitted. Patients with > or =50 circulating tumor cells (CTCs)/mm3 in peripheral blood tolerated all doses without major toxicity. The maximum level of serum IT (Cmax) achieved in this group was 345 ng/ml of RFB4-dgA and 660 ng/ml of HD37-dgA (1005 ng/ml of Combotox). In contrast, patients without CTCs (<50/mm3) had unpredictable clinical courses that included two deaths probably related to the IT. Additionally, patients exhibited a significant potential for association between mortality and a history of either autologous bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplants (P2 = 0.003) and between mortality and a history of radiation therapy (P2 = 0.036). In patients with CTCs, prior therapies appeared to have little impact on toxicity. Subsequent evaluation of the ITs revealed biochemical heterogeneity between two lots of HD37-dgA. In addition, HD37-dgA thawed at the study site tended to contain significant particulates, which were not apparent in matched controls stored at the originating site. This suggests that a tendency to aggregate may have resulted from shipping, storage, and handling of the IT that occurred prior to preparation for administration. It is not clear to what extent, if any, the aggregation of HD37-dgA IT was related to the encountered clinical toxicities; however, the potential to aggregate does suggest one possible basis for problems in our clinical experience with HD37-dgA and leads us to the conclusion that non-aggregate-forming formulations for these ITs should be pursued prior to future clinical trials.

A Phase II study of high-dose tamoxifen in patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer

Micromolar concentrations of tamoxifen inhibit the activity of protein kinase C and were recently shown to inhibit prostate cancer cell growth in preclinical studies. Because micromolar concentrations can be attained with high-dose therapy, the clinical activity of high-dose tamoxifen was evaluated in patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Between December 1993 and February 1997, 30 patients with hormone-refractory metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate were continuously administered tamoxifen at 160 mg/m2/day. Therapy was continued until disease progression. All study patients had failed prior treatment with combined androgen blockade, had castrate levels of testosterone, and were heavily pretreated, having received a median of three prior regimens. The average steady-state plasma concentration of tamoxifen was 2.96+/-1.32 microM (mean +/- SD). Grade 3 neurotoxicity was observed in 29% of patients and was rapidly reversible and readily managed with dose modification. Otherwise, grade 3 toxicities were rare. One partial response (80% decline in prostate-specific antigen) was observed (3.3%), whereas disease stabilization was observed in six patients (20%), for a combined partial response/stable disease response rate of 23%. Median time to progression was 2.1 months, and median survival time was 10.5 months. High-dose tamoxifen therapy was well tolerated and associated with micromolar concentrations of tamoxifen in human plasma, and it demonstrated activity, albeit limited, in a heavily pretreated patient cohort with hormone-refractory prostate cancer. These findings suggest that further investigation of the role of protein kinase C modulation in prostate cancer is warranted.

Intravitreal chemotherapy for the treatment of recurrent intraocular lymphoma

AIM

To develop and assess a protocol for the treatment of intraocular lymphoma by intravitreal injection of methotrexate and thiotepa.

METHODS

A patient with intraocular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma which recurred after radiotherapy and repeated systemic chemotherapeutic regimens underwent repeated intravitreal injections of methotrexate and thiotepa. The patient was closely monitored by cytology, anterior chamber flare measurements, IL-10 and IL-6 levels. Methotrexate drug clearance studies were performed on vitreous samples taken before each injection.

RESULTS

Complete tumour clearance was achieved by the third week of therapy. IL-10 and IL-6 levels quickly dropped to barely detectable levels as the tumour was cleared from the eye. Flare measurements decreased from 500 to 15 photons/s over the same time. A plot of the methotrexate levels over time revealed a first order kinetic rate of elimination with an effective tumoricidal intravitreal dose persisting for 5 days after injection.

CONCLUSION

Intravitreal chemotherapy for the treatment of recurrent intraocular lymphoma appears effective in prolonging local remission of ocular disease even in the presence of an aggressively growing tumour. A single intravitreal injection of methotrexate can lead to a prolonged tumoricidal concentration lasting for a longer period than that achieved by systemic administration.

Pharmacokinetics and relative bioavailability of carboxyamido-triazole with respect to food and time of administration: use of a single model for simultaneous determination of changing parameters

Carboxyamido-triazole (CAI) is an anti-invasive, antimetastatic, antiangiogenic agent in clinical development for cancer treatment. It has been postulated that food might enhance the oral absorption of micronized CAI based on an apparent discrepancy in steady state maximum concentrations when taken without regard to meals vs. fasting. The purpose of this study was to determine if a standardized meal affects the absorption and pharmacokinetics of this agent. Twelve patients with refractory cancers and good end organ function were randomized to receive two doses of CAI (250 mg/m2) with and without a standardized high fat meal. One cohort of 6 patients received these doses at 9 AM, and the remaining 6 patients received CAI at 9 PM. Blood was obtained prior to each dose, and serially thereafter. A series of pharmacokinetic (PK) models were fit to the concentration-time data. PK parameters were ultimately calculated using a model which allows simultaneous estimation of parameters from both test doses using nonlinear least squares analysis with ADAPT II. This model estimates independent absorption rate constants and relative fraction absorbed for each condition. AUC0-t was determined using the trapezoidal method, extrapolated to infinity, and used to calculate the relative bioavailability. No significant differences in PK parameters were noted between the morning and evening cohorts. However, the relative bioavailability, as measured by AUC0-infinity, of CAI was significantly increased when administered with a high fat meal compared to fasting (138.9 vs. 52.2 micrograms * hr/ml; p = 0.0005). The magnitude of the increase in relative bioavailability of CAI taken with food could have profound implications for patients who may inadvertently take this medication shortly after eating.

Phase II trial of chemotherapy alone for primary CNS and intraocular lymphoma

PURPOSE

Primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL) and primary intraocular lymphoma (IOL) are usually treated with radiation therapy alone or in combination with chemotherapy. The neurotoxicity of these treatments can be substantial. This study attempts to define the toxicity and efficacy of the treatment of this disease with chemotherapy alone.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Fourteen nonimmunocompromised patients were accrued to a chemotherapy regimen that incorporated a 24-hour infusion of high-dose methotrexate total dose of 8.4 g/m2 with leucovorin rescue; thiotepa 35 mg/m2; vincristine 1.4 mg/m2; dexamethasone; and intrathecal cytarabine (Ara-C) and methotrexate (MTV) administered in 21-day cycles. Seven patients were prospectively followed up with formal neuropsychologic assessments for evidence of CNS toxicity.

RESULTS

The response rate was 100% with 11 (79%) complete responses and three (21%) partial responses. Cumulative survival and progression-free survival rates at more than 4.5 years were 68.8% and 34.3%, respectively. Median survival has not been reached, and median progression-free survival was 16.5 months. Toxicity included severe leukoencephalopathy that was clearly attributable to chemotherapy (two patients), grade 3 or 4 neutropenia in 50% of the cycles administered, ileus (one patient), and seizures (two patients). Mucositis and renal and hepatic toxicity were mild and not therapy limiting.

CONCLUSION

The MTV regimen is generally well tolerated and produces a high complete response rate. Chemotherapy alone should be investigated further in this disease to assess the necessity of initial radiation therapy, either alone or in combined modality regimens, for the achievement of optimal response and survival.

A phase II study of bromocriptine in patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer

Prolactin is an important physiological regulator of prostate development and growth in preclinical models. In prostate cancer there is strong evidence that prolactin exerts a trophic effect independent of testosterone. In addition, patients with prostate cancer that have an elevated prolactin level correlated with a poorer prognosis. Based on these data, we evaluated the clinical effect of prolactin suppression using bromocriptine in patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer. We conducted an open-label phase II trial of bromocriptine in patients with progressive metastatic prostate cancer. Basal and thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH)-stimulated prolactin levels were utilized as biological endpoints for determining the dose of bromocriptine. All patients continued to receive complete androgen blockade. Thirteen patients were enrolled (median age 69.5 years). There were no complete or partial responses associated with bromocriptine in 11 of the evaluable patients. The mean duration of bromocriptine treatment was 8.2 weeks (2-14 weeks). One patient had a clinically insignificant decrease in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and another patient had a 19.9% decrease in PSA with progression of a soft tissue mass. The vast majority of patients (10 of 11) had suppression of prolactin with a bromocriptine dose of 2.5 mg three times a day. One patient required a dose adjustment due to inadequate suppression, with a final maintenance dose of bromocriptine 12.5 mg per day resulting in complete suppression. No serious treatment-related toxicities were observed. The most common complications noted were nausea, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Our data showed that 2.5 mg three times per day of bromocriptine suppressed prolactin in 90% of the patients. Furthermore, this dose appears to be well tolerated.

A phase I study of pentosan polysulfate sodium in patients with advanced malignancies

BACKGROUND

Pentosan polysulfate (xylanopolyhydrogensulfate) is a semi-synthetic sulfated heparinoid polysaccharide which has been used as an anticoagulant for nearly thirty years in Europe. It antagonizes the binding of bFGF to cell surface receptors and has thus been evaluated for antitumor activity in several animal models and human tumor cell lines. In two angiogenic models pentosan has been shown to inhibit bFGF stimulation of angiogenesis. Previous clinical studies have determined the coagulation effects of pentosan to be the dose-limiting toxicity.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We conducted a phase I study designed to define the duration-limiting toxicity associated with progressive prolongation of a continuous intravenous infusion (three, five, and eight weeks). This study was not designed to escalate the dose of pentosan beyond that required to maintain the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) between 1.8 and 2.2 times the baseline value.

RESULTS

Thirteen patients with advanced stage metastatic cancer were enrolled (median age 50 years, range 34 to 61 years). Four patients were treated in cohort #1 (three weeks of infusional therapy), five patients were treated in cohort #2 (five weeks of therapy), and four patients in cohort #3 (eight weeks of therapy). All patients experienced a progressive prolongation of their aPTT and PT. Furthermore, all patients experienced at least grade I thrombocytopenia. Other complications were, in general, mild. One patient developed grade III liver abnormalities while receiving the eight-week infusion and another patient developed grade IV thrombocytopenia while receiving the same regimen. One patient with colon cancer had stable disease for 24 weeks, while the remaining 12 patients had no objective evidence of response.

CONCLUSION

Pentosan was well tolerated when doses were adjusted for aPTT prolongations and a five-week cycle appeared to be the maximum tolerated duration of infusion (initially 4 mg/kg/day). One patient had stable disease, but there was no objective tumor response noted in the remaining 12 patients.

Retroviral mediated transfer of the human multidrug resistance gene (MDR-1) into hematopoietic stem cells during autologous transplantation after intensive chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer

Patients with metastatic breast cancer will receive 4-5 cycles of induction chemotherapy on one of the ongoing Medicine Branch protocols. Patients achieving at least a partial response, and who do not have evidence of bone marrow involvement and who do not have metastatic bone disease, will undergo PBSC and bone marrow harvest when hematologic recovery has occurred. Patients who have not achieved a PR, but who are responding to therapy, may be treated with additional cycles of therapy in an attempt to achieve a PR. Such patients will be eligible for transplant if a PR is obtained. 70% of the bone marrow and PBSC will be cryopreserved. The CD34+ subpopulation from the remaining 30% of the bone marrow and PBSC harvest will be obtained using an anti-CD34+ antibody and immunoabsorption column. The bone marrow and peripheral blood CD34 cells will be transduced with a retroviral vector expressing the human MDR-1 cDNA. Patients with positive bone scans or histologic evidence of bone marrow involvement will be excluded from the gene transfer component of the protocol. The MDR-1 transduced CD34 cells will be reinfused along with the non-transduced bone marrow and PBSC into patients following high dose ICE chemotherapy. Serial peripheral blood and bone marrow samples will be obtained to study hematopoietic reconstitution with MDR-1 transduced cells. Patients with residual or progressive disease after ABMT will be treated with taxol or vinblastine. In these relapsed patients, peripheral blood and bone marrow samples will be obtained to study whether chemotherapy amplifies the proportion of hematopoietic cells containing the MDR-1 provirus. We will monitor the nadir blood counts of each patient receiving salvage chemotherapy for evidence of myeloprotection and correlate this data with changes in the mean proviral copy number. Sites of relapsed tumor will be biopsied to test for the presence of the MDR-1 provirus.

A pilot study of suramin in the treatment of progressive refractory follicular lymphomas

Ten patients with progressive follicular lymphomas (seven with follicular mixed lymphomas, three with follicular, small cleaved cell lymphomas) with clinical indications for systemic therapy received parenteral suramin. Each had failed from one to six prior chemotherapeutic regimens and three had in addition received prior radiation therapy. All had measurable disease and nine of the ten had documented bone marrow involvement at the start of therapy. Suramin was administered at an initial infusion rate of 350 mg/m2/day, which was then modified on the basis of subsequent weekly plasma suramin concentrations in order to reach a final plasma concentrations of 250-350 micrograms/ml. Treatment cycles were repeated at eight week intervals. Nine of ten patients are evaluable for response. Five of nine evaluable patients achieved a partial remission as defined by a greater than 50% decrease in the sum of the product of all measurable lesions. Sites of response include: Peripheral (five patients) and central (four patients) adenopathy, disappearance of biopsy-proven skin involvement (one patient), malignant pleural effusions (one patient) and shrinkage of an enlarged spleen (two patients). Disappearance of B symptoms occurred in the one responder with these symptoms. Response duration varied from 3 to 9 months (mean 5.6 months) with time to subsequent systemic therapy varying from 5 to 12 months (mean 8 months). Drug related toxicity included the development of polyradiculopathy (one case), liver function abnormalities (three cases), thrombocytopenia (five cases), vortex keratopathy (two cases) and bacterial infection (two cases). We conclude that suramin has significant activity against follicular lymphomas refractory to standard chemotherapy and that its precise role in the treatment of lymphoproliferative neoplasms in general warrants further investigation.

Performance of an annular resonator with a polarizer in the annular leg

Experiments were performed on a CO(2) laser with an annular resonator. The objective of these experiments was to control the polarization in an annular laser and to verify computer code predictions. A Mylar pellicle was placed in the annular leg, and its angular orientation with respect to the optical axis was varied. The pellicle had different transmittances for horizontal and vertical polarizations and also had stress-induced birefringence. At small angles of incidence in the pellicle, the birefringence dominated, and the output had a complicated nature. However, at large angles of incidence, the transmittance difference forced the laser into a well-defined mode for which the near field was horizontally polarized at the top and bottom and the two sides and vertically polarized at intermediate locations. The experimental results were in good agreement with the computer code calculations.

Properties of the estrogen receptor in the human oviduct and its interaction with ethinylestradiol and mestranol in vitro

Biochemical properties of estrogen binding are investigated in the cytosol and nuclear fractions of the human Fallopian tube. Sucrose density ultracentrifugation and dextrancoated charcoal adsorption techniques are used for characterization of [3H]estradiol uptake in the human oviduct. There is indirect evidence for the presence of protease which can be inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP). When DFP is present in buffer of low ionic strength, the cytosol receptor sediments at 8S and 4S peaks. In the absence of DFP, the 4S peak alone is demonstrated. The proteolytic inhibitor does not alter the estrogen-binding capacity in the human oviduct. The dissociation constant (Kd) for [3H]estradiol in cytosol is 2 X 10(-10) M without DFP and 1.5 X 10(-10) M with DFP. The presence of protease in cytosol of human oviducts is confirmed by hydrolysis of benzoyl-arginine nitroanalide. The enzymatic activity is inhibited by DFP. Nuclear estrogen receptor sediments at 4S after extraction with 0.4 M KCL buffer. A rapid nuclear accumulation of [-3H]estradiol is seen at 25 C, with reciprocal depletion of cytoplasmic receptor in human oviduct tissue minces. The synthetic estrogens ethinylestradiol (17 alpha-ethynyl-1,3,5-estratriene-3,17 beta-diol) and mestranol [3-methoxy-17 alpha-ethinyl-1,3-5(10)-estratiene-17 beta-OL] are competitors for the estrogen receptor in the human Fallopian tube. Inhibition of oviductal estrogen binding is 500 times greater with ethinylestradiol than with mestranol (ki = 0.75 X 10(-9) M for ethinylestradiol; Ki = 3.74 X 10(-7) M for mestranol). The estrogen receptor in the human Fallopian tube shows properties similar to those of the estrogen receptor of the human uterus. However, the determination of the number of binding sites in the oviduct is not influenced by proteolytic enzyme activity.

Steroid hormones in ovarian vein and cyst fluid of a virilizing stromal tumor

A 23-year-old female with clinical signs of excessive androgen and estrogen production was found to have a gonadal stromal tumor. The clinical symptoms correlated well with steroid hormone values in ovarian vein blood and ovarian cyst fluid of the ovarian tumor. Ovarian vein blood draining the ovarian tumor measured as follows: estrone, 162 pg/ml; estradiol, 1688 pg/ml; progesterone, 9.6 ng/ml; testosterone, 9775 ng/100 ml; and dihydrotestosterone, 2905 ng/100 ml. The ovarian cyst fluid produced higher estrogen and lower androgen values compared with ipsilateral ovarian vein blood. Peripheral levels of immunoreactive testosterone ranged from 210 to 244 ng/100 ml. It is concluded that excessive androgen and estrogen production may arise from a gonadal stromal tumor that has been previously classified as a purely virilizing ovarian tumor.