Engraftment after myeloablative doses of 131I-metaiodobenzylguanidine followed by autologous bone marrow transplantation for treatment of refractory neuroblastoma

BACKGROUND

Metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) labeled with 131I has been used for targeted radiotherapy of neural crest tumors, with bone marrow suppression being the primary dose-limiting toxicity. The purpose of this study was to examine the engraftment and toxicity of higher myeloablative doses of 131I-MIBG with autologous bone marrow support.

PROCEDURE

Twelve patients with refractory neuroblastoma were given infusions of their autologous, cryopreserved bone marrow following 1-4 doses of 131I-MIBG. The median cumulative administered activity per kilogram of 131I-MIBG was 18.0 mCi/kg (range 14.1-50.2 mCi/kg), the median total activity was 594 mCi (range 195-1,353 mCi), and the median cumulative whole body irradiation from 131I-MIBG was 426 cGy (range 256-800 cGy). A median of 2.5 x 10(8) viable cells/kg (range 0.9-4.7 x 10(8) cells/kg) was given in the bone marrow infusion.

RESULTS

All 12 patients achieved an absolute neutrophil count > 500/microliter with a median of 19 days, but only 5/11 evaluable patients achieved red cell transfusion independence, in a median of 44 days; and 4/11 evaluable patients achieved platelet count > 20,000/microliter without transfusion, in a median of 27 days.

CONCLUSIONS

Autologous bone marrow transplantation may allow complete hematopoietic reconstitution following ablative 131I-MIBG radiotherapy in patients with neuroblastoma. Risk factors for lack of red cell or platelet recovery include extensive prior chemotherapy, progressive disease at the time of transplant, especially in the bone marrow, and a history of prior myeloablative therapy with stem cell support.

Enzyme variation among clones of Trypanosoma cruzi

The genetic relationships within and between stocks of Trypanosoma cruzi were studied by the in vitro isolation of clones and sub-clones and by the comparison of their isoenzyme patterns in thin-layer starch-gel electrophoresis. Altogether 13 clones and 36 sub-clones were isolated from stocks CL89 and Y207 of T. cruzi. Employing the enzymes L-alanine aminotransferase (ALAT), L-aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT), glucose phosphate isomerase (GPI), malic enzyme (ME), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD), and phosphoglucomutase (PGM), two zymodemes, B and C, emerged among the clones with distinct banding patterns. These zymodemes were consistently distinguished by ALAT, ASAT, GPI, G6PD, 6PGD, and PGM and the differences in enzyme profiles were simultaneously reflected in all six enzyme systems. That the enzymic characters as genetic determinants are stable was demonstrated after recloning and successive replica-platings, i.e., the distinct enzyme patterns remained consistent and homogeneous, the siblings retained the enzyme profiles of their parental clones, and no segregation of the enzyme patterns was observed. Our data from clone and sub-clone examinations show that the isoenzymes act as labels to characterize T. cruzi stocks. Furthermore, enzyme variation was demonstrated among clones isolated from stock CL89.

Estimation of transfer activity coefficients for single ions between dipolar aprotic solvents from the E.M.F. of cells with liquid junction

Transfer activity coefficients for the sodium ion, logmγNa, between pairs of dipolar aprotic solvents were estimated from the e.m.f. of cells consisting of two sodium-selective electrodes in different solvents connected by a salt-bridge of triisoamylbutylammonium tetraphenylborate [(tab+)BPh4-], or tetraethylammonium picrate (Et4NPic), or tetraethylammonium perchlorate (Et4NclO4). The solvents were: acetonitrile (MeCN), N,N-dimethylformamide (HCONMe2), dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO), propylene carbonate (pcar), and N-methylformamide (HCONHMe). Values of logmγNA were estimated first by neglecting the liquid-junction potential E, and then, for some systems, by applying an Ej correction from theory. A novel method of estimating transfer activity coefficients for single ions, based on the Ej equation, was demonstrated on the (tab+) and Pic-ions. Transfer activity coefficients for the hydrogen ion between MeCN and HCONMe2 as well as MeCN and Me2SO were similarly estimated from the e.m.f. of two pH (glass) electrodes immersed in buffer media in the above pairs of solvents.

Refractive-index measurements of single micron-sized carbon particles

The differential scattering cross section for single carbon particles is measured in the visible. The data are mathematically inverted to obtain the complex index of refraction and particle radius.