[Coordinative paramagnetic enzyme centers during hormonal carcinogenesis and tumor regression under conditions of hormonal regulation]. The ESR method was employed to study the distribution of the coordinative paramegnetic centers on the energy chain of electron transport and on the detoxifying system during carcinogenesis caused by a disturbance of the normal hormonal balance in the organism and at the tumour regression stage achieved with estrogen - in tumours of the ovary, spleen, liver and adrenals. At various stages of the hormonal carcinogenesis and under hormonal control both quantitative and qualitative changes on the paramagnetic centers were found. The tumour growth on liver and adrenals lowers the level of the catalytic form of the cytochrome P-450 and of the non-heme iron complexes. In metastases of ovarian tumours the kinetics of the triplet signal development is registered. In the tumour and on the liver an antibate change of the intensities of the signal was observed with g-factors of 2,1 and 2,15. At the tumour tissues a shift of the g-factor of free radicals was found - from g=2.005 to g=2.000. When a complete regression of tumours occured under hormonal balance control, the characteristics of the ESR spectra on the liver and adrenals restores to their values on intact tissues.


[Yield of pigment cation-radicals in the reaction of quinone photooxidation of chlorophyll]. Photoinduced transfer of electrons in alkohol solutions of chlorophyll and its deuterated analog, deuterochlorophyll containing the quinoses: p-benzoquinone, chloranyl, duroquinone, 1,4-naftoquinone and ubiquinone (coenzyme Q6) is studied. It is shown that pigment cation-radical and quinone anion-radical are the primary products of photoreaction. A relationship between stationary concentrations of deuterochlorophyll and p-benzoquinone radicals and quinone concentration in solution is obtained. The reaction mechanism and causes of other authors' (G. Tollin et al.) failure in finding pigment cation-radicals which are formed in the reaction of the latter with quinoses are discussed. It is shown that optimal conditions for accumulating photoinduced cation-radicals of the pigment in pigment solutions of chlorophyll with quinones are lowered temperature, high viscosity of the solvent, low pH of the solution, careful purification of the quinone from hydroquinone admixture.


[Paramagnetic properties of hepatic tissues and transplantable hepatomas]. Paramagnetic properties of frozen samples of normal, fetal and regenerating liver tissues and of a number transplantable hepatomas of different level of differentiation were studied. The results obtained indicate that ESR spectrum character and the concentration of paramagnetic centres in frozen samples of live tissues as well reflect the differentiation level, and the level of tissue functional activity. It is shown of hepatoma 22 taken as an example that tumour growth is accompanied with a change of the content of free radicals and some paramagnetic centres in the tumour and hosts liver. It can be considered as a manifestation of a biophysical shift which characterizes the tumour growth and includes the system effect of the tumour on the organism.


[Correlation of membrane-bound and free ribosomes in normal rat liver, Zajdela hepatoma rat liver and ascite cells proper]. The content of membrane-bound ribosomes in normal rat liver cells is 3 times as high as compared to that of free ribosomes. (K=membrane-bound ribosome RNAs divided by free ribosome RNAs=3, the opposite effect being observed in case of ascites hepatoma cells. A considerable increase in the free ribosome fraction in the liver of hepatoma-bearing rats occurs by the sixth day due to a decrease in the content of hepatoma-bearing rats occurs by the sixth day due to a decrease in the content of membrane-bound ribosomes (K=0.6). Similar, but less-pronounced changes were observed in liver cells of control animals after 48-hour starvation  (K=0.9), simulating the condition occurring during the last days of tumour animals' life. Thus, changes in the rativ of membrane-bound to free ribosomes in liver during the ascites tumour growth are probably specifics and are not only due to anorexia in Zajdela hepatoma animals.


[Analysis of macromolecule alkylation in tissues of intact and tumor carrying mice]. Alkylation DNA reparation kinetics and the disintegration of alkylated RNA, proteins and lipids in liver, spleen and brain of intact and 22A hepatomic mice after a injection of 1-14C-nitrosomethylurea at a therapeutic dose are studied. The tissue studied are different in their macromolecules and lipids alkylation, in DNA reparation and RNA, protein and lipid degradation rates. Possible correlation between the time of the occurrence of DNA damages and the frequency of tumour emergence in different tissues is discussed. It is found that normal cells eliminate more rapidly degraded RNA, protein and lipid molecules and more rapidly repair DNA damages as compared with 22A hepatoma cells. It is suggested to be due to more rapid macromolecule metabolism in normal cells which specifies a selective sensitivity of tumour cells to alkylating agents and nitrosoalkylureas. The time of the occurrence of damages induced with alkylating agents and nitrosomethylureas is supposed to be a critical parameter in processes resulting in the selective sensitivity of normal and tumour cells.


[Changes of the phospholipid bilayer structure under the adsorption of ferricytochrome c on its surface]. Changes in the mobility of phospholipid molecules in liposomes membranes under adsorption ferricytochrome c on its surface were studied by means of NMR and EPR spectroscopy. It is found that the interaction of cytochrome molecules with vesicles causes the broadening of 1H-NMR signals of hydrophobic as well as polar groups in cardiolipin and phosphatidylcholine in the presence of lauric or phosphatidic acid. This broadening of 1H-NMR signals in hydrophobic groups may be caused by decrease in the rate of lateral diffusion of phospholipid molecules. The changes in the correlation time of hydrophobic spin-proub in liposomes containing phosphatydiloholine and cardiolipin with the increase of ferricytochrome c concentration were also observed. These changes suggest that the formation of protein-phospholipid clusters results in the impair of the regular structure of phospholipid bilayer.


[A mechanism of mononucleotide formation under endonuclease hydrolysis]. It has been shown under poly-A hydrolysis by endonuclease A236 in the presence of large amounts of E. coli phosphatase that the formation of mononucleotides requires the presence of terminal 5'-P in the substrate. Simultaneously, it has been found for endonuclease A236 and nuclease of Serratia marcescens that the products of exhaustive hydrolysis carried out in the presence of excess amounts of phosphatase contain an additional nucleoside residue as compared to the ordinary products of exhaustive hydrolysis, the number of phosphate groups being equal in both cases.


[Study of the metabolic synapse. II. Comparison of the effects of cyclic 3',5'-AMP and 3',5'-GMP]. Intracellular microiontoforetic injections of cyclic 3',5'-AMP and cyclic 3',5'-GMP elicit different responses in the same neuron. Drugs were injected by current of 1--10 nA using 3-barrel micropipettes. Unlike cyclic 3',5'-AMP arising the depolarization of the neuron, cyclic 3',5'-GMP usually hyperpolarizes it. An inhibitor of phosphodiesterases, papaverine, increases and prolongates effects of cyclic 3',5'-AMP and cyclic 3',5'-GMP, but in latter case the action of this drug seems to be less.


[Biochemical characteristics determining the rates of tumour growth in the organism]. Experimental data suggest that contrary to the findings obtained for normal and regenerating liver of mouse, the greater part of hexokinase (HK) in transplantable hepatomas is firmly bound to mitochondrial membranes. It is shown that the ratio of the bound HK activity (HKbound) to that of total HK activity (HKtotal) diminishes with a hepatoma growth. Malignization of hepatocytes also leads to a sharp decrease in the cytochrome oxidase (CO) octivity. Though the data obtained are well-correlated with the Warburg hypothesis, there is no direct correlation between the malignancy of hepatomas evaluated by their growth rates, and the biochemical parameters of the tumours studied. On the basis of fundamental principles of Warburg's, it is proposed to evaluate energy metabolism of hepatomas by the activity and subcellular distribution patterns of HK as well as be the activity of CO, according to the expression: [(HKtotal)2//HKbound-CO+HKbound-CO]. It is demonstrated that there exists a certain linear dependence between the integral characteristics of hepatoma energetics and their growth rates.


[Quaternary structure and allosteric properties of thiamine pyrophosphokinase from rat liver]. Using electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate thiamine pyrophosphokinase (EC 2.7.6.2) was found to possess quaternary structure and consist of two polypeptide chains. It was shown that besides active centres, the oligomer has allosteric centres for binding of Mg2+ ions, since treatment by HgCl2 and heating of the enzyme lead to complete "desensibilisation". This results in a disappearance of the S-shaped curve of the dependence of reaction rate on Mg2+ concentration, the Hill coefficient coming down to 1. It is assumed that thiamine pyrophosphokinase belongs to the class dissociating regulatory enzymes.


[The activity of polynucleotide phosphorylase in polyribosomes of regenerating liver of adult rats, liver of newborn rats and in some reinoculated tumours]. Specific activity and level of polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase) in polyribosomes of regenerating liver of adult rats, liver of newborn rats and in malignant tumours of rat (sarcoma M-1 and hepatoma 27) were studied. 24 hours after partial hepatectomy the specific activity and level of PNPase in regenerating liver decreased 3--4 times in the fraction of polyribosomes, bound to the endoplasmic reticulum membranes, and remained at a constantly low level in the fraction of free polyribosomes. The PNPase activity also showed a sharp decrease in the fraction of membrane-bound polyribosomes from newborn rats liver and could not be detected either in free or in bound polyribosomes from sarcoma M-1 or hepatoma 27. The PNPase activity in the fraction of bound polyribosomes increased with a decrease in the rate of liver growth (regenerating liver and newborn rats liver), and reached the level normal for adult animals. Possible mechanisms of regulation of the PNPase activity in animal tissue were studied. It was found that a 2-fold administration of cyclic 3,5'-AMP to intact animals (5 mg per 100 g of body weight) with an interval of 8 hours, corresponding to the interval between two peaks of the increase in cyclic 3,5'-AMP concentration following partial hepatectomy, diminished the PNPase specific activity in polyribosomes by 30%. A factor, presumably of protein origin, which induced a release of PNPase from polyribosomes of normal rat liver but did not affect the activity of the liberated enzyme, was detected in the cell sap of sarcoma M-1 and hepatoma 27.


[Free-radicals formation in reductions of flavin. Study on the reduction of aminoethylcellulose-bound flavin]. The reduction of flavin by reduced diphosphopyridine nucleotide and photoreduction were studied spectrophotometrically. Flavin was covalently bound to aminoethylcellulose, therefore the interaction between flavin molecules was excluded. Nevertheless a considerable quantity of free radicals was demonstrated under these conditions. The experimental dependence of the radical concentration as a function of reduction degree is readily explained if the reduction of flavin proceeds in two consecutive one-electron steps. The ratio of the rate constants of both reactions for the reduction of flavin by NADH k2'/k1' was equal to 4, for the photoreductions k2'/k1' to 6.5.


[Inhibition of pyridoxal kinase by 2- and 6-alkyl substituted vitamin B6 analogues and by pyridoxal oximes]. It is shown in the system with partially purified pyridoxal kinase from mouse liver, that the presence of one alkyl group in the 2nd or 6th positions of pyridine cycle in pyridoxole and pyridoxamine derivatives and pyridoxal oximes is a necessary condition which determines relatively high affinity of structural vitamin B6 analogues to the enzyme. 2'-n-Propylpyridoxal was phosphorylated by pyridoxal kinase with a relatively high rate, while 2-nor-6-methylpyridoxal, having a similar affinity to pyridoxal kinase, was not phosphorylated at all. The data obtained indicate an important role of the methyl group in the 2nd position of pyridine cycle in vitamin B6 molecule for its fixation in the enzyme active site and for the proper orientation, which provides enzymatic substrate phosphorylation. Some structural peculiarities of vitamin B6 analogues are considered, pre-determining their low or high efficiency as vitamin B6 antimetabolite in vivo.


Metabolic rate and O2 consumption in newborns during different states of vigilance. In 135 asymptomatic newborn infants, 1--53 days of age, body weight 1,820--4,120 g, indirect calometry was performed. According to the state of wakefulness the infants showed during the testing procedure, they were divided into four groups of vigilance (V1--V4). Metabolic rate and oxygen consumption showed similar results between groups V1, V2 and V3 (deep sleep; REM sleep; wakefulness with no muscular activity). V4 infants (with muscular activity) had a higher metabolic rate and O2 consumption. Correlation between  metabolic rate and body surface area is similar in V2 and V3 but shows a steeper slope in the V1 group. It is speculated that central regulatory mechanisms may account for this difference.


Genetic influence in murine viral leukemogenesis. Studies carried out over the past four decades on factors controlling the susceptibility to viral leukemias in mice have shown the existence of specific controlling gene loci. Evidence from a number of studies using various mouse strains and different leukemia viruses has shown that the controlling genes may act either directly or indirectly. "In vitro" experiments have shown controlling effects directed by the prospective target cells themselves in which effective virus infection and/or and/or replication is inhibitied. From "in vivo" experiments it is also evident that susceptibility may be controlled through indirect means mediated by immune relationships and other factors involved in the basic regulations of hematopoiesis. The present paper presents a brief review of the various genes known to control susceptibility and resistance to murine leukemia viruses. Certain conflicts in the literature relating to the naming of particular specific genes by different laboratories is also discussed, and some minor revisions in nomenclature designed to resolve some of the existing confusion are proposed.


Antibody like activities against cholesterol ester in anti-LDL antiserum. An observation on the surface of LDL. The antibody like activities against cholesterol and cholesterol ester were examined by means of radioimmunoassay system, immunolysis of liposomes containing cholesterol and other steroids. In comparison with anti-etiocholenic acid antiserum and anti-cholesterol succinate antiserum, it was proved that anti-LDL antiserum contained 2 kinds of antibodies, one was specific to the structure of cholesterol skeleton and other was specific to the whole structure of cholesterol ester. LDL only combined with anti-cholesterol succinate antibody resulting with the inhibition of the interaction between sheep red cell sensitized by cholesterol succinate and anti-cholesterol succinate antiserum by means of passive hemagglutionation reaction.


Isoproterenol induced pancreatic secretion in rats. A comparison with secretin. The stimulatory effects of isoproterenol and secretin on external pancreatic secretion were compared in the rat. 1. In acute fistula, pylorus ligation, atropine, glucagon did not change either of the stimulated secretions. Propranolol inhibited isoproterenol-induced secretion and did not change secretin induced stimulation. Theophylline alone displayed a large hydrelatic stimulatory effect, without increasing protein excretion; the effect of theophylline was additive with the effects of isoproterenol or secretin but no evidence was found of potentiation or prolongation of action. Isoproterenol did not increase pancreatic blood flow and induced no variations in the plasma levels of immunoreactive secretin. Combining various doses of isoproterenol and secretin did not allow to reach secretory levels greater than the maximal response to secretin. 2. In conscious rats chronic fistulae, isoproterenol and secretin had a distinct effect.


Inositol-less death in yeast results in a simultaneous increase in intracellular viscosity. Inositol auxotrophs of yeast developing on isositol-deficient medium continue protein synthesis for 4-6 h, lose viability rapidly after 6 h, and show an increase in cytoplasmic viscosity as measured by spin label rotational motion. Cycloheximide prevents the rapid loss of cell viability, stops protein synthesis, and simultaneously prevents an increase in cytoplasmic viscosity. From these observations, we infer that intracellular translational diffusion is upset as a consequence of inositol starvation. Cell death may be caused by a modified intracellular diffusion environment.


[Quantitative assessment of the viability of renal tissue when the donor's body is treated differently]. It was shown that the vital capacity of the mouse kidney tissues quantitatively estimated by the in vitro growth in a plasma-free medium depended upon the condition of the donor organism. Depression of the culture growth was noted after the general X-irradiation of the animals, as well as following prolonged starvation and chloric cadmium poisoning. An increased growth of the kidney tissues was observed both in compensatory hypertrophy caused by unilateral nephrectomy and in subcutaneous inflammation.


Ultrastructural cytochemical analysis of blastic transformation of chronic myelocytic leukemia. Ultrastructural cytochemical changes occurring during the blast phase of chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) are described. Normal developing promyelocytes contain myeloperoxidase (MPO) -positive rough endoplasmic reticulum, nuclear envelope, and Golgi apparatus. All secretory granules of normal promyelocytes are also MPO-positive. In this study we have found abnormal promyelocytes with MPO-positive as well as MPO-negative secretory granules in blast phase CML patients which contrast with the normal pattern of MPO distribution in most CML patients not in the blast phase or in nonleukemic controls. Alkaline phosphatase activity was found in the nuclear envelope of blasts and promyelocytes of one of the blast transformation patients who had a markedly increased leukocyte alkaline phosphatase score. The cytochemical changes in the distribution of MPO suggest that immature leukemic cells may alter their patterns of secretory granule production. Such processes may reflect the emergence of an abnormal clone of cells during the blastic transformation of CML.


cGMP stimulation of stem cell proliferation. The process by which resting hemopoietic stem cells become activated is poorly understood, but it has been suggested that cyclic nucleotide levels in the cell may play an important role. In the present study, the effect of various, nucleotides and stimulators of nucleotide synthesis upon the formation of in vitro granulocyte colonies has been examined. It was found that physiologic concentrations of 3', 5'-cyclic guanosine monophosphate enhanced the formation of granulocyte-macrophage colonies in the presence of colony-stimulating activity. The cells sensitive to cGMP activation were resistant to thymidine suicide and could not be activated by colony-stimulating activity alone. Therefore it was suggested that the cGMP sensitive stem cell was an ordinarily resting stem cell which was triggered into a proliferative state by cGMP.


Establishment of peripheral lymphoid cell cultures from patients with Hodgkin's disease depending on Epstein-Barr-Virus-reactivity and cellular immunity. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from 43 patients with Hodgkin's disease were studied for spontaneous growth in longterm cultures in vitro. The rate of culture establishment in Hodgkin's patients was dependant on a positive Epstein-Barr-Virus (EBV)-seroreactivity and intact delayed hypersensitivity reaction to tuberculin. Localized and inactive disease, as well as the absence of atypical mononuclear cells in the peripheral blood had a favourable influence on the longterm in vitro growth. The overall establishment rate in Hodgkin patients was 18 out of 60 attempts (30%), 16 out of 34 (47%) in patients without treatment, only 2 out of 26 (7.7%) attempts during treatment. These results were compared with culture attempts of peripheral blood cells from healthy individuals and umbilical cord blood lymphocytes. Only 12 out of 60 attempts in healthy donors (18.2%) and 0 out of 49 attempts with umbilical cord blood lymphocytes were successful.


Inhibition by glucocorticoids of prostaglandin release from adipose tissue in vitro. 1 When rabbit chopped adipose tissue was incubated with a lipolytic agent (adrenocorticotrophic hormone, ACTH1-24, 0.1 microng/ml) in Krebs solution, prostaglandin E2 was formed in the tissue and about the same amount was found in the medium. 2 In the presence of indomethacin (1 microng/ml) the appearance of prostaglandin E2 was almost abolished both in the tissue and in the medium. 3 When the incubation was carried out in the presence of hydrocortisone or betamethasone (1-10 microng)ml) the concentration of prostaglandin E2 leaking or carried into the medium was significantly reduced, whereas that remaining in the tissue was significantly increased. This action of the steroids was not reversed by increasing substrate (arachidonic acid) concentration in the medium. 4 The steroids did not affect lipolysis, nor did they influence prostaglandin metabolism since such activity was not detectable in the adipose tissue. 5 Anti-inflammatory steroids therefore did not reduce prostaglandin formation but increased the tissue/medium ratio, which supports the view that they inhibit the release of prostaglandins after these have been synthesized.


Subcellular distribution of cytochrome c oxidase, monoamine oxidase and lactate dehydrogenase in the developing chick telencephalon. The distribution of cytochrome c oxidase monoamine oxidase and lactate dehydrogenase, together with protein, after isopycnic centrifugation of a crude mitochondrial fraction of chick telencephalon homogenate in a linear sucrose density gradient, was followed during late embryogenesis and postnatal maturation. Two main populations of subcellular organelles differentiate; they were characterized biochemically and analyzed by electron microscopy. One population, with a progressively defined mean buoyant density of 1.170 g/ml, exhibited a high relative activity of monoamine oxidase, with a low and relatively constant cytochrome c oxidase/monoamine oxidase activity ratio. This population was composed of free mitochondria and mitochondria enclosed in nerve endings, and possibly of mitochondria of perikaryal and glial origin. A second population, with a progressively well defined mean buoyant density of 1.182-1.186 g/ml, exhibited a high relative activity of cytochrome c oxidase, with a high and increasing cytochrome c oxidase/monoamine oxidase activity ratio. The biochemical and functional significance of these results were discussed.


Iontophoretic application of opiates to the locus coeruleus. The vast majority of morphine-sensitive single units in the area examined were localized to the locus coeruleus. This corresponds well with the known distribution of the highest densities of opiate receptor sites in this region of the midbrain. The effect of iontophoretically applied morphine was a marked and prolonged depression of spontaneous activity. Levorphanol, an opiate agonist, produced an effect similar to that of morphine while comparable doses of dextrorphan, it's clinically inactive stereoisomer, did not. Naloxone and levallorphan prevented as well as reversed the depression due to application of agonists. While the units were depressed following the application of opiate agonists, the cells were still excited by the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. We conclude that (1) neuronal sensitivity to opiates has a high positive correlation with autoradiographically determined opiate receptor sites, and (2) this sensitivity to opiates is blocked by opiate antagonists and is stereospecific in nature.


The effect of capsaicin on the adenylate cyclase activity of rat brain. The effect of capsaicin on the adenylate cyclase activity in different regions of the rat brain (preoptic area of the hypothalamus, cerebral cortex and cerebellum) was investigated. Capsaicin added in vitro (10(-7)-10(-5) M) increased the adenylate cyclase activity of different brain regions. Following systemic capsaicin desensitization adenylate cyclase activity was significantly increased in the preoptic area. The enhanced adenylate cyclase activity in the preoptic area was inhibited by the vitro addition of capsaicin or 5-HT, whereas desensitization did not affect the in vitro activating effect of capsaicin in other brain regions (cerebral cortex, cerebellum). It is assumed that the pharmacological effect of capsaicin in the preoptic area is mediated through the activation of adenylate cyclase. Since capsaicin induces irreversible impairment of the function of warmsensitive hypothalamic neurons it is assumed that adenylate cyclase is involved in maintaining normal thermoregulatory functions.


Cyclic AMP and ultrastructural organization of the nerve cell nucleus: stimulation of nuclear microtubules and microfilaments assembly in sympathetic neurons. As we have previously shown for electrical stimulation, in vivo cyclic AMP analogues and theophylline induce an increase (up to 8.5-fold) in the frequency of microtubular-microfilamentous inclusions in the nucleus of sympathetic neurons. These drugs, like electrical stimulation, do not modify the ultrastructural organization of such inclusions, which is briefly reviewed in the present study with the help of tilting experiments. Such data consistent with our previous opinion that microtubules and microfilaments are normal nuclear constituents of these nerve cells, their frequency being related to physiological activity. Moreover, our results may now be discussed in terms of the relationship between these nuclear inclusions and the physiological modulation of transmission through the sympathetic ganglion. Finally, as recently demonstrated in the cytoplasm, the present study shows for the first time that cyclic AMP promotes the assembly of microtubules and microfilaments in the nuclear compartment.


Autoradiographic localization of opiate receptors in rat brain. I. Spinal cord and lower medulla. The localization of opiate receptors in the spinal cord and lower medulla has been elucidated by the autoradiographic identification of stereospecific [3H]diprenorphine (a potent opiate antagonist) binding sites. The opiate receptors were higly localized to: layers I (marginal cell zones) and II (substantia gelatinosa) of the dorsal horn of the spinal cord; the substantia gelationsa of the spinal trigeminal nucleus; components of the vagal system, including the vagus nerve, nucleus tractus solitarius, nucleus commissuralis, nucleus intercalatus, nucleus ambiguus and nucleus originis dorsalis vagus; the area postrema. Examination of [3H]etorphine (a potent opiate agonist) binding sites showed the same distribution. We conclude that, in these brain regions, opiate receptors are (1) highly associated with areas receiving small, afferent primary fibers, (2) strategically placed to modulate noxious stimuli as well as explain some visceral side effects of opiate administration.


Evaluation of the periaqueductal central gray (PAG) as a morphine-specific locus of action and examination of morphine-induced and stimulation-produced analgesia at coincident PAG loci. Experiments were carried out in rats to (1) elaborate upon the sepcificity of drug action in the periaqueductal gray matter (PAG), and (2) to evaluate the posible congruence of PAG sites of morphine-induced and stimulation-produced analgesis (SPA) applied at virtually identical PAG loci. It was demonstrated that the effect of morphine intracerebrally (i,c.) administered into the PAG was not duplicated by other centrally acting agents (chlorpromazine, chlordiazepoxide, pentobarbital or naloxone) administered i.c. at the same PAG site. This selective action of morphine in the PAG was further demonstrated not to be test-bound since morphine significantly altered responding in all four of the analgesiometric tests employed. Thus, multiple i.c. injections of drugs at the same PAG locus were useful in demonstrating site specificity of drug action where behavioral and electroencephalographic methods alone had previously provided ambiguous information. Morphine-induced analgesia and SPA, evaluated at virtually coincident PAG sites, revealed only a general congruence of efficacious loci. The most effective PAG loci for morphine-induced analgesia were not the same as those for SPA; analgesia effected by one analgesia-producing manipulation did not reliably predict that analgesia would also be produced by the other analgesia-producing manipulation at the PAG sites examined. In general, the more efficacious analgesia-producing PAG loci were localized in the ventral-ventrolateral PAG.


Independent receptors for pressor and drinking responses to central injections of angiotensin II and carbachol. Angiotensin II and carbachol when injected in the brain ventricles of the rat produce similar responses of an increase in blood pressure and drinking behavior. The question of whether these effects are produced by independent receptors or via a cholinergic circuit is debatable for the drinking behavior and evidence is lacking for the blood pressure effect. We have used a chronic rat preparation for recording blood pressure and drinking at the same time during intraventricular injections (i.v.t.) of both angiotensin and carbachol and i.v.t. or intravenous infusions of appropriate antagonists. The results show that drinking and blood pressure response to angiotensin II can be blocked by P113 (500 ng 1.v.t.) an angiotensin antagonist; they are not blocked by atropine (10 mug i.v.t.) a cholinergic antagonist; carbachol effects, however, are not blocked by P113, but are totally blocked by atropine (10 mug i.v.t.), At high doses of atropine there is inhibition of both agents but this probably represents a general inhibition. The hormone and cholinomimetic administered together interact and both are inhibited by adrenergic stimulation. We conclude from these experiments that angiotensin and carbachol act upon independent receptors in the brain to produce blood pressure and drinking responses but at some point they share common, central effector pathways.


Biodegradation of alpha-MSH and derived peptides by rat brain extracts, and by rat and human serum. The peptides alpha-MSH and MSH/ACTH 4-10 were degraded by rat brain extracts and serum to yield free amino acids among the end-products. Breakdown of these two peptides was double that of a related synthetic hexapeptide Met (0)-Glu-His-Phe-D-Lys-Phe. No significant breakdown of the hexapeptide occurred after incubation with human serum; it also had almost negligible pigmentary effects in vivo and in vitro when compared to alpha-MSH. The patterns of amino acid release indicate possible endopeptidase cleavage at Phe-Arg in alpha-MSH followed by secondary exopeptidase action to release free amino acids. For the hexapeptide, the primary cleavage point occurred at the -His3-Phe4 bond. The stability of this analog in human sera, coupled with its lower rate of degradation in the CNS, may contribute to its more potent behavioral actions in vivo.


Pentobarbital and synaptic high-affinity receptive sites for gamma-aminobutyric acid. Electrophysiological investigations of others show that pentobarbital enhances the inhibitory inflences of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Specifically, receptor activation is amplified and prolonged, suggesting the presence of an increased number of GABA molecules in the synaptic cleft. Either inactivation of high-affinity GABA transport or alteration of post-synaptic GABA receptors might account for these influences of pentobarbital. In this sudy the effect of pentobarbital on high-affinity uptake and binding of GABA to synaptic receptive sites has been examined. Using synaptosomes and subsynaptosomal fractions of cerebral cortex and hippocampus, it si shown that concentrations of pentobarbital, exceeding 1 mM have no appreciable effect on GABA uptake or binding. Thus the synaptic influence of pentobarbital, evident at 0.1 mM in electrophysiologic experiments, must originate from mechanisms other than the high-affinity uptake or binding of GABA. Possible sites of action include the presynaptic release of GABA and the ionophores coupled with postsynapitc sites.


Effect of sodium nitroprusside and trimetaphan on neuromuscular transmission in the frog. In summary, it appears from this and other studies that trimetaphan has the potential for producing neuromuscular blockade when used in large doses or when combined with other muscle relaxants. The mode of action appears to be principally that of non-depolarizing neuromuscular blockade. Sodium nitroprusside, on the other hand, even in doses beyond these accepted clinically, does not affect neuromuscular transmission and unless otherwise contraindicated is safe to use with muscle relaxants.


Electrophysiological connections of the rat mediobasal hypothalamus with brain areas mediating adrenocortical responses. With the purpose of correlating neuroendocrine and neurophysiological data, the effects of stimulating brain areas which have been shown to be involved in the mediation of adrenocortical reponses, i.e. pontine reticular formation (PRF), mammillary peduncle (MP), medial forebrain bundle (MFB), and the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), were studied on unit activity in the mediobasal hypothalamus in the rat. About half of the units recorded responded significantly to one of these modalities by a change in the rate of firing, the MP producing mainly inhibition and SCN facilitation and changes also occurred in the post-stimulus histograms. There was a convergence of different modalities on the same hypothalamic unit. No changes occurred in the time-interval histograms. Stimulating the mediobasal hypothalamus activated synaptically units in the PRF, MP, and MFB but none of them were activated antidromically. The present data demonstrate electrophysiological connections between extrahypothalamic regions participating in adrenocortical regulation and the hypophysiotropic area of the hypothalamus.


The beta-glucosidases of porcine kidney. Some of the properties of a partially purified particle bound and soluble beta-glucosidase (EC 3.2.1.21) from pig kidney were compared. The soluble beta-glucosidase (1) hydrolyzed 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-glucoside (4-MU-beta-D-glucoside) 17 alpha-estradiol 3beta-glucoside. 17 alpha-estradiol 17beta-glucoside, and salicin, but not glucosylceramide, (2) possessed a broad pH optimum (5.5-7.0), (3) had an isoelectric point of 4.9, and (4) was inhibited by Triton X-100. Several compounds were found to be competitive inhibitors of its hydrolytic activity, gluconolactam and estrone beta-glucoside being the most effective. In contrast, a particulate beta-glucodidase purified from the same tissue (1) had an acidic pH optimum (5.0), (2) was stimulated by sodium taurocholate and 'Gaucher's factor' for the hydrolysis of both 4-MU-beta-glucosidase and glucosylceramide, and (3) was capable of catalyzing a transglucosylation reaction employing 4-MU-beta-D-glucoside or glucosylceramide as the glucosyl donor, and [14C]ceramide as acceptor.


Ion binding to lysine-modified derivatives of cytochrome c. The effect of Cl- and K+ ions on the apparent equilibrium constant of the reaction between horse ferricytochrome c and potassium ferrocyanide was studied. Unmodified cytochrome was compared with two lysine-modified derivatives. One, guanidinated, had all lysyl groups converted to homoarginine (but retained the same positive charge); the other was trinitrophenylated at one lysine (measured spectrophotometrically). Both modified derivatives had a somewhat larger equilibrium constant in the reaction of the reduced protein with ferricyanide, but, unlike trifluoroacetylated cytochrome c (which has a negative charge), the redox properties were not dramatically different. The native protein and the lysine-modified cytochromes showed differential K+ binding in Tris-cacodylate buffer at constant ionic strength (0.003-0.005 M). More K+ was bound to ferrocytochrome c. This redox-linked binding, however, was unaffected by modification of lysine. All three derivatives also showed redox-linked differential Cl- ion binding (more Cl- ion was bount to ferricytochrome); however, in this case, the binding was reduced in the lysine-modified molecules. This was interpreted as loss of a single anion site. This anion site critically depends on one or a few lysines which are more reactive with trinitrobenzene sulfonate.


Method for reliably recording geniculate spikes during paradoxical sleep in the cat. A simple procedure is described which allows an investigator to implant electrodes which will reliably record phasic spikes in the lateral geniculate nucleus during paradoxical sleep. This procedure relies on recording photically evoked activity during the implantation of the geniculate electrode and the fact that the distribution of such activity and phasic spikes during paradoxical sleep overlap within the lateral geniculate nucleus. The largest geniculate spikes were recorded during paradoxical sleep when an electrode recorded a large initially positive photically evoked potential and was positioned in the optic tract just ventral to the lateral geniculate nucleus.


Blood-brain barrier, half-time disappearance, and brain distribution for labeled enkephalin and a potent analog. The natural opiate methionine-enkephalin and its D-alanine2 analog were iodinated by a method involving lactoperoxidase and purified by partition chromatography on Sephadex G-25. The half-time disappearance of radioactivity was determined in blood obtained from the jugular vein after injection of the iodinated methionine-enkephalin into the carotid artery or jugular vein and found to be less than a minute. Despite a greater potency and more prolonged activity of D-alanime2-methionine-enkephalin as compared with methionine-enkephalin, the half-time disappearance of radioactivity after injection of the iodinated analog was about the same, its distribution volume tended to be smaller, and the retention of counts in the brain was significantly less then after the iodinated parent compound. There was little statistical difference in the accumulation of radioactivity among nine brain regions 5 sec after the rapid injection of tritiated methionine-enkephalin into the carotid artery in contrast with the accumulation found after similar injection of tritiated tyrosine or tritiated water. The ratio of radioactivity in the pituitary or pineal to that in the brain parts within the blood-brain barrier was much greater after administration of the tritiated enkephalin than after the tritiated water. A modified brain-uptake index (BUI) value of 15 for the tritiated enkephalin indicates that methionine-enkephalin crosses the blood-brain barrier.


Temperature-induced changes in lecithin model membranes detected by novel covalent spin-labelled phospholipids. Several spin-labelled phospholipids carrying covalently bound 5-doxylstearic acid (2-(3-carboxydecyl)-2-hexyl-4,4-dimethyl-3-oxazolidinoxyl) were intercalated in liposomes of saturated and unsaturated lecithins. Temperature-induced changes of these liposomes, detected by the spin-labelled phospholipids, were found to be in agreement with the previously described transitions of hydrocarbon chains of host lecithins detected by different probes and different techniques, establishing that spin-labelled phosopholipids are sensitive probes for the detection of temperature-induced changes in lecithin model membranes. In addition to the detection of already-known transitions in lecithin liposomes, the coexistence of two distinctly different enviroments was observed above the characteristic transition temperature. This phenomenon was tentatively attributed to the influence of the lecithin polar group on the fluidity of fatty acyl chains near the polar group. Combined with other results from the literature, the coexistence of two environments could be associated with the coexistence of two conformational isomers of lecithin, differing in the orientation of the polar head group with respect to the plane of bilayer. These findings have been discussed in view of the present state of knowledge regarding temperature-induced changes in model membranes.


Selective enzymatic radioactive and spin labelling of phospholipids in biological membranes: application to study of temperature-induced changes of microsomal phosphatidylinositols and mitochondrial polyglycerophosphatides. A new method for the covalent radioactive and spin labelling of lipids within isolated biological membranes has been described in detail and applied to studies of temperature-induced changes of microsomal and mitochondrial membranes. The method is based on the enzymatic use of radioactive substrates carrying covalently bound doxyl derivatives of stearic acid in the biosynthesis of phospholipids in isolated membranes. Radioactive-and spin-labelled lipids bound to the microsomal and mitochondrial membranes were then used as internal probes in monitoring temperature-induced changes of these membranes. Since the analysis of isolated radioactive-and spin-labelled lipids revealed the exact composition of membrane-bound labelled lipids, specific temperature-induced changes were correlated with specific lipids of examined membranes. Phosphatidylinositol of microsomal membranes and polyglycerophosphatides (phosphatidyl-glycerol and cardiolipin) of mitochondrial and inner mitochondrial membranes were found to be involved in the apparent formation of lipid clusters at around 20-30 degrees C. Cardiolipin was found to be involved in the fluidization of inner mitochondrial membranes. These findings are discussed in view of the present state of knowledge of the organization of lipids in biological membranes.


Lack of release of ACTH from the denervated rat pars intermedia in vivo. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether the pars intermedia of the rat adenohypophysis, isolated from direct innervation via the infundibular stem, could maintain adrenal cortical weight and plasma corticosterone levels. We compared the adrenal cortical response of rats 40 days after either complete hypophysectomy, hypophysectomy with reinsertion of only the pars distalis, or hypophysectomy with reinsertion of only the nervosa-intermedia. Adrenal weight and plasma corticosterone levels were partially maintained in the group with reinserted pars distalis. These parameters were not different from the complete hypophysectomy group in the animals with reinserted nervosa-intermedia. Thus, the pars intermedia, with its nerve supply disrupted, cannot maintain adrenal cortical function.


Dispersed cell cultures of the rat pineal: growth and morphological differentiation. A method is described for the preparation and growth of rat pineal monolayer cultures derived from both mature and immature animals. The cultures were observed to undergo profound but reversible morphological differentiations by addition of dibutyryl-cAMP, monobutyryl-cAMP, papaverine, prostaglandins, and adenosine, and by removal of serum. Sodium butyrate and theophylline had no effect. Time-lapse photography indicated that this reversible transformation took place via a contraction-relaxation mechanism. Both colcemid and cytochalasin B inhibited the transformation. These results demonstrate that this type of morphological transformation, previously demonstrated in tumour and embryonic cell cultures, can also occur in nonembryonic, non-neoplastic tissue, and may be related to a general dedifferentiative process occurring in monolayer cultures.


Regulation of glucagon-stimulated production of glucose in rat liver by guanosine 3',5'-cyclic phosphate. Exogenous cGMP can inhibit both basal and glucagon-stimulated production of glucose in liver slices from fed rats. Thus, cAMP and cGMP have opposite effects on the production of glucose in rat liver. Acetylcholine, an activator of guanylate cyclase (EC 4.6.1.2) in other systems, also inhibits the glucagon-stimulated production of glucose. No effect on glucose production was observed with secretin or exogenous GTP.


Effect of praseodymium nitrate on hepatocytes and Kupffer cells in the rat. Intravenous administration of the rare earth metal salt, praseodymium nitrate, induced hepatic damage in the rat, as assessed by morphologic examination (light and electron microscopy) and biochemical parameters (serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (EC 2.6.1.2) and glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase (EC 2.6.1.1) activity as well as hepatic triglyceride content). Praseodymium hepatotoxicity was only attained with lower doses (10, 20, or 40 mg/kg), whereas a larger dose (80 mg/kg) was inactive in this respect. As detected by electron microscopy, lower doses of the metal salt caused hepatocytic alterations consisting of degranulation and dilatation of rough endoplasmic reticulum, accumulation of smooth endoplasmic reticulum as well as numerous lipid droplets. No abnormalities were detected in the cell organelles following administration of a large dose of the metal salt; however, vacuoles containing markedly electron-dense material were seen in the cytoplasm of the hepatocytes and the sinusoidal Kupffer cells.


The site of the neuromuscular block produced by polymyxin B and rolitetracycline. The site of neuromuscular blockade induced by polymyxin B and rolitetracycline was studied on isolated nerve and nerve-muscle preparations. Polymyxin B (1.8 X 10(-4) M) was equipotent to lidocaine as a local anaesthetic on a frog desheathed nerve preparation, while rolitetracycline (up to 3.6 X 10(-3)M) had no local anaesthetic effect. Polymyxin B (6 X 10(-5) M) and rolitetracycline (7 X 10(-4) M) blocked by 50% the response of rat diaphragm induced by phrenic nerve stimulation, but did not decrease the amount of acetylcholine (ACh) released from this preparation during nerve stimulation. Both antibiotics depressed the response of the rat diaphragm to inject ACh, and this response was more sensitive to inhibition by the drugs than was the response to nerve stimulation. With rolitetracycline, a concentration that blocked the response to nerve stimulation by 50% inhibited the response to injected ACh by 85%, and this relationship was similar to that with d-tubocurarine; however, polymyxin B was relatively more effective than d-tubocurarine in inhibiting the effect of ACh. Polymyxin B (1-1.5 X 10(-4) M) but not rolitetracycline (1 X 10(-3) M) depressed the response of the diaphragm to direct muscle stimulation. It is concluded that polymyxin B and rolitetracycline block neuromuscular transmission predominatly by an effect to depress the muscle's sensitivity to ACh; polymyxin B probably acts by an effect similar to that of local anaesthetics, while rolitetracycline probably acts by an effect similar to that of d-tubocurarine.


Characterization of the neuromuscular block produced by clindamycin and lincomycin. The site of neuromuscular blockade induced by clindamycin and lincomycin was studied on isolated nerve and nerve-muscle preparations. Clindamycin (3.6 X 10(-3) M) but not lincomycin (up to 1.5 X 10(-2) M) had a local anaesthetic effect on a frog desheathed nerve preparation. Clindamycin (8 X 10(-4) M) and lincomycin (4 X 10(-3) M) depressed the response of the rat diaphragm to nerve stimulation and to direct muscle stimulation in parallel. This indicated that the predominant neuromuscular blocking effect of these antibiotics was due to an effect on the muscle. Clindamycin was fivefold more potent than lincomycin in this effect, and the unionized form of both drugs was the active form. Lincomycin (4 X 10(-3) M) but not clindamycin (8 X 10(-4) M) also had some depressant effect on nerve-muscle transmission as indicated by the interaction of the effects of the antibiotics and d-tubocurarine. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to the acute clinical toxicity of these antibiotics.


Endorphin activity in anterior, intermediate, and posterior pituitary. The content of endogenous morphine-like substance in bovine pituitary and brain was determined by an opiate radioreceptor assay. The intermediate lobe was most concentrated in activity and the brain least concentrated. Most of the endorphin is obtained in a 120 000 g-min fraction from pituitary or brain homogenates.


Cerebellar cAMP levels following acute and chronic morphine administration. Acute administration of morphine sulfate at 20 mg/kg decreased mouse cerebellar adenosine 3',5'-cyclic phosphate (cAMP) levels while not affecting cAMP phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.4.17). The cAMP levels and cAMP phosphodiesterase activies were not affected by chronic treatment. However, cAMP levels increased during abrupt withdrawal both with and without naloxone precipitation, with cAMP phosphodiesterase activities being correspondingly decreased. Propanolol prevented the cAMP increase during abrupt withdrawal.


Nonshivering thermogenesis in the rat. I. The relation between drug-induced changes in thermogenesis and changes in the concentration of plasma cyclic AMP. Barbital-sedated, cold-acclimated (CA) or warm-acclimated (WA) rats were given different doses and combinations of noradrenaline, theophylline, and the adrenergic-blocking agents propranolol and phentolamine, to stimulate or inhibit calorigenesis in various ways. To see whether the effects of these drugs on calorigenesis could be ascribed to effects on the adenylate cyclase (EC 4.6.1.1) - cyclic AMP system, and to try to assess thereby the significance of this system in the regulation of nonshivering thermogenesis (NST), changes in the concentration of plasma cyclic AMP were measured as an index (Broadus, A.E., Hardman, J.G., Kaminsky, N. I., Ball, J. H., Sutherland, E.W., and Liddle, G. W.: 1971. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 185, 50-60) of changes in tissue levels of cyclic AMP. In CA rats, which have a severalfold greater capacity for NST than WA rats, calorigenic responses to noradrenaline, theophylline, noradrenaline plus theophylline, or phentolamine plus theophylline were as much as four times larger than in WA rats, However, the changes in level of plasma cyclic AMP produced by each of these and other treatments were virtually the same for both groups. It would appear, therefore, that the difference between WA and CA rats in ability to produce heat by NST is not a function of the amplitude of changes in tissue levels of cyclic AMP. Nevertheless, it was also observed, and was particularly striking in CA rats, that when a drug or combination of drugs had a stimulatory, inhibitory, or synergistic effect on calorigenesis, it had a similar effect with respect to elevation of plasma cyclic AMP. Altogether, the results indicate that adenylate cyclase and cyclic AMP are likely to be participants in the regulation of NST in the rat, but that they would be subservient in this regard to whatever factors are responsible for acclimation-related differences in capacity for NST.


The effect of theophylline on amine-induced cardiac cyclic AMP and cardiac contractile force. In the isolated electrically driven rat atria, theophylline (5 X 10(-4)M) produced a small but significant increase in cyclic AMP content which was prevented by reserpine pretreatment. Theophylline was also found to exert a direct contractile effect, unrelated to cyclic AMP, in atria obtained from reserpine-pretreated animals. The norepinephrine inotropic response was attenuated after 3 min, enhanced after 15 min, and abolished after 60 min of exposure to theophylline (5 X 10(-4) M). The maximum phenylephrine inotropic response was not significantly changed after 15 min of exposure to theophylline; however, there was a slight shift to the left of the phenylephrine dose-response curve. The effect of theophylline on cyclic AMP appeared to be additive with the norepinephine and phenylephrine responses. The effect of theophylline on amine-induced cardiac cyclic AMP and contractile force showed no correlation between the contractile and the cyclic AMP effects at the different times tested. It is concluded that the inotropic effects of theophylline in rat atria are not mediated through cyclic AMP; instead, the methylxanthines may exert their effects on the heart through changes in calcium metabolism.


Symposium on diarrhea. 3. Investigation of chronic diarrhea. The practical approach to the investigation of diarrhea must be logical and based on anatomic considerations. The site of the underlying disorder may be determined by the clinical picture, and the logic of investigation will be influenced by the history. Important specific investigation in a case of colonic diarrhea include a careful rectal examination, stool inspection, sigmoidoscopy, rectal biopsy and barium enema study. Colonoscopy has been used, but its role has yet to be defined. In a case of small-bowel steatorrhea or diarrhea quantitative chemical estimation of the daily output of stool fat is useful, and to this investigation is added a small-bowel radiograph series and, if the radiographic findings are abnormal, small-bowel biopsy. Other investigations for small-bowel disease may include the breath test with carbon-14-labelled glycocholic acid, the lactose tolerance test, duodenal aspiration for giardiasis, analysis of serum immunoglobulins and, on occasion, isolation of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide hormone (which may aid the diagnosis of functioning tumours of the pancreas or small bowel). Investigations for pancreatic steatorrhea include abdominal radiography, performance of the secretin test and testing of the response to pancreatic replacement therapy. In some patients it may be useful to use endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography to differentiate pancreatic carcinoma and chronic pancreatitis.


Changes in peroxisomes in preneoplastic liver of rats induced by 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene. Histochemical investigations used the 3,3'-diaminobenzidine reaction to demonstrate the catalase activity and thus variations in numbers of peroxisomes, and electron microscopic examinations were made of hyperplastic liver lesions in rats fed 0.06%3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene. At the 10th week of carcinogen feeding, hyperplastic lesions (hyperplastic foci, areas, and nodules) appeared and advanced to further stages. Most of the foci and some of the areas and nodules showed very low catalase activity and, correspondingly, a small number of peroxisomes. When rats were administered ethyl-alpha-p-chlorophenoxyisobutyrate, most of the foci, areas, and nodules showed a moderate increase in catalase activity and in peroxisome number. Hyperplastic foci seemed to grow larger with time to form hyperplastic areas and/or nodules, mostly accompanying maturation as well as proliferation of the hepatocytes involved. Maturation is well characterized by an increase in the endogenous level of catalase and in the number of peroxisomes, as well as by an enhancement of the responsiveness to ethyl-alpha-p-chlorophenoxyisobutyrate. However, there was a small proportion of lesions in which all cells or some cells did not mature and thus were considered persistently altered. It is suggested that these altered cells serve mainly as intimate precursors of hepatomas.


Metabolism of estrogens in hepatomas of different growth rates. The activity of estrogen 16alpha-hydroxylase was measured for nine Morris hepatomas of different growth rates and host livers. Activity was measured in the microsomal fraction of the cell (100,000 X g). In the spectrum of hepatomas studied, 16alpha-hydroxylase activity was significantly decreased in parallel with the increase in hepatoma growth rate. The decrease in enzymic activity ranged from 16 to 19% for the slow-growing tumors (Hepatomas 44, 28A, and 9633), 2 to 9% for the intermediate-growing tumors (Hepatomas 38B, 7795, and 5123A), and 0% for the fast-growing tumors (Hepatomas 7288C, 7777, and 42A). Estrogen 16alpha-hydroxylase activity of the liver of tumor-bearing rats differed from that of liver of healthy animals. There was a decrease in enzymic activity ranging from 66% to 90% of normal control rats. The activity level of the host liver did not correlate with tumor growth rate. Stimulation of 16alpha-hydroxylase with phenobarbital showed a 4-fold increase in activity in normal liver and only a 2- to 3-fold increase in host livers. The slow- and intermediate-growing hepatomas showed a 1.2-to 1.4-fold increase in enzyme activity, and no activity or stimulation in the fast-growing hepatomas was observed.


Adenosine triphosphatases as histochemical markers for the cell of origin in experimental mammary carcinoma. Different adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activities were detected at an ultrastructural level in order to differentiate epithelial and myoepithelial cells in normal and neoplastic mouse mammary tissues. Mg2+ dependent and Na+-K+-dependent ATPase activities were studied in: BALB/c mouse mammary gland; a BALB/c carcinoma from a transplantable D2 hyperplastic nodule; a stable cell line, MCF-8, derived from the BALB/c carcinoma; and a BALB/c scirrhous-like carcinoma induced by MCF-8 cell inoculation. Mg2+-dependent ATPase was detected in the plasma membranes of the normal mouse mammary epithelial cells, the epithelial component of the BALB/c carcinoma, the MCF-8 cells in culture, and the atypical epithelial component of the scirrhous-like carcinoma. Na+-K+-dependent and Mg2+-dependent ATPase were localized in the plasma membranes of the myoepithelial cells of the normal mammary gland and the BALB/c carcinoma. The results from these histochemical studies established that the cell of origin in both the BALB/c carcinoma and the scirrhous-like carcinoma was the mammary epithelial rather than the myoepithelial cells. Furthermore, these results indicated that the MCF-8 cell line was derived from the epithelial component of the primary BALB/c carcinoma. These conclusions, which were based on histochemical study, were supported by the presence of intracisternal type A viral particles in the epithelial cells of the primary BALB/c carcinoma, the MCF-8 cells in culture, and the epithelial cells of the scirrhous-like carcinoma. Thus, the enzymatic markers were specific for cell type and remained unchanged by the process of cell transformation.


Light-induced mutagenicity of neutral red (3-amino-7-dimethylamino-2-methylphenazine hydrochloride). Illumination of Salmonella typhimurium in the presence of neutral red (3-amino-7-dimethylamino-2-methylphenazine hydrochloride) results in mutations of the base substitution type.


Changes in leucine aminotransferase isozymes by viral transformation and its correlation with the isozyme changes occurring during differentiation. The isozyme pattern of leucine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.6) in various cell lines and their viral-transformed derivatives were examined. The Wistar 3C rat liver cell line was found to contain only isozyme I, while its simian virus 40-transformed counterpart had isozyme III in addition to isozyme I. A spontaneously transformed late passage clone of these liver cells was also found to have acquired isozyme III. Polyoma virus-transformed baby hamster kidney cells were also found to contain a greater predominance of isozyme III than their normal untransformed counterpart. Examination of the isozymes in a cloned normal rat kidney cell line transformed by a mutant of Rous sarcoma virus which is temeprature-sensitive for transformation indicated that, in fact, such an isozyme change does correlate with transformation. When grown at 36 degrees these cells contained predominantly isozyme III; however, upon reacquiring normal morphology and lowered glucose transport activity when grown at 40 degrees, their isozyme pattern was now found to be changed and consisted predominantly of isozyme I, as is found in normal adult rat kidney tissue. Isozyme III was found to be present in neonatal kidney tissue of the rat and hamster, and its predominance in the virus-transformed normal rat and baby hamster kidney cells was interpreted as indicative of the dedifferentiation of these cells upon viral transformation. A similar change of the isozyme pattern of leucine aminotransferase in chicken embryos during their development was observed, such that in 5-day-old embryos Form III was predominant, while in the more mature differentiated chicken embryo of Day 17, Form I was predominant.


Demonstration of different glycosylated antigens in C-type virus-transformed and infected rat cells by antiserum to murine leukemia virus. [3H]Glucosamine labeling of untransformed cells, C-type virus-transformed cells, and virus-infected cells and subsequent analysis by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and fluorography permitted the detection of a Pronase-sensitive macromolecular labeling that appeared in about eight regions of radioactivity in every case. Reactions of cell extracts with antiserum to Tween-ether-disrupted purified murine leukemia virus revealed, in most transformed cells, two components with a mobility of about 100,000 daltons, whereas C-type virus-infected cells revealed their radioactivity mainly in a region nearer to that of the major viral glycoprotein at about 69,000 daltons. No comparable components were apparent from the reaction of transformed or infected extracts with preimmune serum or from the reaction of untransformed uninfected cells and immune serum.


Continued presence of similar transformation-associated antigens related to murine oncornavirus proteins in -ransformed cells, morphological revertants, and cells restricted in the expression of transformation. The possible alteration of transformation-related antigens in cells that revert to a normal phenotype but that continue to retain the viral genome, has been investigated in [3H]glucosamine-labeled extracts of rat cells exhibiting a reversible temperature-dependent restriction in the expression of transformation and in a comparison of a morphologically altered mouse cell transformed by the Kirsten sarcoma virus with a flat revertant mouse cell derived from the morphologically transformed cells. With the use of normal goat serum in the presence of dibutyryl cyclic 3':5'-adenosine monophosphate, some differences became obvious in the rat cells restricted in the expression of transformation. However, use of specific antiserum to murine leukemia virus revealed in every case the presence of major components that exhibited an electrophoretic mobility corresponding to about 100,000 daltons both in the parent and revertant mouse cells and in the rat cells exhibiting either untransformed or transformed growth properties. The glycoprotein components detected only by the immune serum may represent a cellular macromolecule antigenically related to an interspecies C-type viral species whose concentration is increased in transformed cells.


Casein and alpha-lactalbumin messenger RNA in experimental breast cancer. A transplantable rat mammary carcinoma (R3230AC) was previously shown to contain prolactin receptors. Our objective was to determine whether these receptors were functional by measuring specific markers of prolactin action: casein and alpha-lactalbumin (alphaLA) messenger RNA's (mRNA's). Total RNA exacts were translated in a wheat germ cell-free system. Newly synthesized 3H-casein and 3H-alphaLA were separately precipitated with specific antibodies and identified by their mobilities on sodium dodecyl sulfate-acrylamide gels and by competition with nonradioactive casein and alphaLA. Casein and alphaLA mRNA's were both present in unstimulated tumors grown in virgin rats. Casein mRNA but not alphaLA mRNA was markedly stimulated by injections of exogenous ovine prolactin or perphenazine, an agent that stimulates endogenous prolactin. This response was selective in that total mRNA was not significantly altered by prolactin.


Predominant role of prolactin in stimulating the growth of 7, 12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced rat mammary tumor. The effect of prolactin in supporting the growth of 7, 12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced mammary tumor in adult female Sprague-Dawley rats was investigated when estrogen receptors were blocked by the nonsteroidal antiestrogen, Tamoxifen, ICI 46,474. Following an oophorectomy-induced remission, perphenazine, which stimulates endogenous prolactin release, was able to restore tumor growth whether or not Tamoxifen was added. A second course of perphenazine treatment, instituted after the tumors were allowed to shrink, was again effective in stimulating tumor growth. After a regression in tumor size induced by oophorectomy and daily administration of Tamoxifen, perphenazine was able to restore original tumor size despite continued treatment with Tamoxifen. In intact rats, after regression was obtained by daily administration of Tamoxifen and the prolactin inhibitor, lergotrile mesylate, perphenazine induced tumor growth when the latter was discontinued, even though Tamoxifen was continued for 50 days. Estrogen receptors measured at the time of maximum stimulation by perphenazine were undetectable. On the other hand, estradiol did not stimulate tumor growth when serum prolactin was depressed to undetectable levels by lergotrile. These results indicate that prolactin supports the growth of 7, 12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced rat mammary tumor and that estrogen receptors are not required under these conditions.


Prolactin and murine mammary tumorigenesis: a review. It is unequivocal that prolactin is an influential hormone in murine mammary tumorigenesis. The Berenblum hypothesis (7), a well-known theoretical model of tumorigenesis that depicts this oncogenic process as a two-step mechanism, i.e., initiation and promotion, is a conceptual scheme in which the action of prolactin in mammary tumorigenesis may be understood. According to this conceptual model, prolactin would participate in both the initiation and promotion steps of mammary tumorigenesis, In the initiation phase, variations in prolactin secretion appear to influence the metabolism of the mammary epithelium, so that the epithelium would be either more receptive to or refractory to an initiating agent (e.g., chemical carcinogen, physical carcinogens, oncogenic viruses, ets.) i.e., a permissive action. In the promotion phase, prolactin may act as either a promoter or an antipromoter of the "transformed" mammary epithelium. In promotion, the hormone may either directly or indirectly (via the ovary) stimulate mitotic activity of the "transformed" epithelium. In antipromotion the hormone, in the presence of requisite hormones (e.g., glucocorticoids), may synergistically induce differentiation (e.g., lactation) in the "transformed" epithelium. A tumor would result in the former (promotion) but not in the latter (antipromotion) case. Whether or not prolactin is significantly influential in human breast tumorigenesis remains to be determined. This is an extremely important area of research which is justifiably receiving increased attention. For if prolactin can be shown to influence human breast epithelium in a manner similar to its effect on rodent mammary tissue, then prophylactic and/of chemotherapeutic control of human breast tumorigenesis may be feasible by appropriate drug-mediated prolactin suppression.


The chromosome analysis and susceptibility to transformation by Simian Virus 40 of fibroblasts from ataxia-telangiectasia. Chromosome analyses are reported for 14 lines of fibro-blasts derived from 8 ataxia-telangiectasia (ATT) patients and for 14 lines of control cells. An elevated incidence of chromosome damage including gaps and breaks, rings, dicentrics and fragments, and chromosome figures has been found to occur in ATT cells. Similar abnormalities present in different cell lines suggest that common break points occur in ATT fibroblast chromosomes. The SV40 virus transformation rates found for ATT cells lie within the range found for normal cells, and there is no direct correlation between the degree of chromosome damage exhibited by any ATT cell line and its transformation rate with SV40.


Therapeutic use of tamoxifen in advanced breast cancer: correlation with biochemical parameters. Tamoxifen (NSC-180973; ICI-46474) can provide palliation to patients with advanced breast cancer whose tumors contain estrogen-binding proteins (EBP). The drug is most effective in patients with bone metastasis and minimal prior therapy. In the present study, 72 patients with advanced breast cancer were evaluated for their response to oral tamoxifen therapy administered at a dose of 20 mg twice daily. Twenty-eight of 72 patients (38%) demonstrated objective responses to tamoxifen therapy. For patients with a positive EBP and no prior chemotherapy, eight of 11 (74%) responded. No patient possessing a tumor negative for EBP achieved a remission. Patients with tumors that possessed normal arylsulfatase B and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase enzyme activities responded most favorably to tamoxifen therapy. These results demonstrate that tamoxifen is effective in the treatment of patients with advanced breast cancer, and EBP and specific enzymes might be useful in selecting the patients for hormone manipulation.


Inhibitors of hypoxanthine metabolism in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells in vitro. One hundred and sixty-one purine analogs and derivatives were tested for their ability to inhibit ten parameters of purine metabolism in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells incubated in vitro with radioactive hypoxanthine. Sixty-seven compounds were inhibitory against at least one parameter and 30 were inhibitory against two or more.


Antitumor activity of 1,2-bis diazoacetyl ethane. 1,2-Bis diazoacetyl ethane (diazane) was selected for a detailed study as the most active compound in a large group of mono- and bi-functional diazoketones subjected to screening. In this paper data on the toxicity and cumulative and antitumor effects of diazane are reported. Diazane markedly inhibits the growth of certain experimental tumors and increases the mean survival time of animals with leukemias, even after a single injection. The drug is characterized by a high level of accumulation in the body.


Survival and cycle-progression delay of cultured human lymphoma cells treated with 1-propanol, 3,3'-iminodi-, dimethanesulfonate (ester), hydrochloride (Yoshi 864). Asynchronous human lymphoma cells treated for 1 hour with increasing concentrations of 1-propanol, 3,3'-iminodi-, dimethanesulfonate (ester), hydrochloride (Yoshi 864) revealed a shouldered survival curve typical of the effects of alkylating agents and of ionizing radiation on this cell line. Yoshi 864 was unstable under the conditions of treatment, its killing effect being reduced by 50% after only 4 hours. Synchronized cells showed stage-dependent sensitivity: early-S, late-G2, and late-G1 phases were the most sensitive while mid- and late-S and early-G2 phases were relatively insensitive. Yoshi 864 induced a concentration- and incubation time-dependent delay in the transit of asynchronous cells through G2 phase, with maximum accumulation values obtained after 12 hours of incubation with 100 mug/ml. This effect was largely reversible and no further kinetic changes were noted in the progeny of treated cells. Incubation of synchronized cells for 1 hour with 100 mug/ml demonstrated a block in G2, the manifestation of which during the lifespan of the treated cell or in its immediate progeny was cell-cycle dependent. Thus, cells treated in G1, early-, and mid-S phases showed a delay in the subsequent G2 phase while cells treated in late S and in G2 manifested this effect in the G2 phase of the immediate progeny. There was no correlation between this blocking effect in G2 with cell survival assessed by colony formation. Yoshi 864, although a rather inefficient killing drug, may represent a useful chemical synchronizing agent.


Role of the coated endocytic vesicle in the uptake of receptor-bound low density lipoprotein in human fibroblasts. 125I-labeled and ferritin-labeled low density lipoprotein (LDL) were used as visual probes to study the surface distribution of LDL receptors and to examine the mechanism of the endocytosis of this lipoprotein in cultured human fibrobasts. Light microscopic autoradiograms of whole cells incubated with 125I-LDL at 4 degrees C showed that LDL receptors were widely but unevenly distributed over the cell surface. With the electron microscope, we determined that 60-70% of the ferritin-labeled LDL that bound to cells at 4 degrees C was localized over short coated segments of the plasma membrane that accounted for no more than 2% of the total surface area. To study the internalization process, cells were first allowed to bind ferritin-labeled LDL at 4 degrees C and were then warmed to 37 degrees C. Within 10 min, nearly all the surface-bound LDL-ferritin was incorporated into coated endocytic vesicles that were formed by the invagination and pinching-off of the coated membrane regions that contained the receptor-bound LDL. With increasing time at 37 degrees C, these coated vesicles were observed sequentially to migrate through the cytoplasm (1 min), to lose their cytoplasmic coat (2 min), and to fuse with either primary or secondary lysosomes (6 min). The current data indicate that the coated regions of plasma membrane are specialized structures of rapid turnover that function to carry receptor-bound LDL, and perhaps other receptor-bound molecules, into the cell.


Mutations causing charge alterations in regulatory subunits of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase of cultured S49 lymphoma cells. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is used to visualize the regulatory subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase from cultured S49 mouse lymphoma cells and to demonstrate its in vivo phosphorylation. Regulatory subunits from mutant cells with altered kinases exhibit at least two patterns of charge shifts consistent with substitutions of single amino acids. The direct demonstration of structural alteration of this protein provides strong evidence for structural gene mutation in this cultured cell system. While mutant and wild-type gene products co-exist in the mutant cells, there is apparently preferential expression and phosphorylation of mutant subunit in these heterozygotes.


Loss of Fv-1 restriction in Balb/3T3 cells following infection with a single N tropic murine leukemia virus particle. The ability of various murine leukemia viruses (MuLVs) to replicate in mouse cells exhibiting Fv-1 restriction was analyzed by quantitative dose-response assays. In particular, the effect of infection with N, B, or NB tropic MuLVs on Fv-1b restriction in Balb/3T3 cells was measured with an infection center technique in which pseudotypes of murine sarcoma virus (MSV), which have been shown to exhibit Fv-1 dependence of expression, were used to quantitate the degree of restriction. The resulting dose-response curves indicate that productive infection of a single Balb/3T3 cell with N tropic MSV requires co-infection with two MuLV particles. These two MuLV particles are functionally distinguishable. One of them must be N tropic and must be added less than 18 hr after infection with N tropic MSV. The second MuLV particle, on the other hand, need not be N tropic and may be added at any time. Balb/3T3 cultures infected with sufficient N tropic MuLV become fully permissive to transformation by N tropic MSV and to productive infection by N tropic MuLV. This effect, termed "abrogation" of Fv-1 restriction, results from infection of a Balb/3T3 cell with a single N tropic MuLV particle, but apparently occurs without viral replication. It seems probable that a requirement for abrogation of Fv-1b restriction by a single infectious particle of N tropic MuLV, which does not itself replicate, is responsible for the two-hit dose-response relationship observed in infectivity titrations of N tropic MuLV in Balb/3T3 cells. The requirements that N tropic MuLV be added within a specified time period with regard to N tropic MSV in order for abrogation to occur suggests that in the absence of N tropic MuLV, the cellular Fv-1b restriction mechanism inactivates N tropic MSV by 9 hr after infection.


Occurrence of reiterated sequences in an untranslated region of Simian virus 40 DNA determined by nucleotide sequence analysis. An earlier report (Subramanian, Dhar, and Weissman, 1977c) presented the nucleotide sequence of Eco RII-G fragment of SV40 DNA, which contains the origin of DNA replication. The nucleotide sequence of Eco RII-N fragment located next to Eco RII-G on the physical map of SV40 DNA is presented in this report. Eco RII-N is found to be a tandem duplication of the last 55 nucleotides of Eco RII-G. This tandem repeat is immediately preceded by two other reiterated sequences occurring within Eco RII-G, one of them being a tandem repeat of 21 nucleotides and the other a nontandem repeat of 10 nucleotides. These repetitive sequences occur in close proximity to the origin of DNA replication which is known to contain other specialized sequences such as a few palindromes (one of which is 27 long and possesses a perfect 2-fold axis of symmetry), one "true" palindrome, and a long A/T-rich cluster. The repeats (and the replication origin) occur within an untranslated region of SV40 DNA flanked by (the few) structural genes coding for the "late" proteins on the one side and that (those) coding for the "early" protein(s) on the other side. The reiterated sequences are comparable in some respects to repetitive sequences occurring in eucaryotic DNAs. Possible biological functions of the repeats are discussed.


A prospective study of acute viral hepatitis with particular reference to hepatitis A. In order to investigate the relationship of hepatitis A antigen to viral hepatitis, a prospective study was carried out on 97 patients admitted to Fairfield Hospital, Melbourne, with suspected viral hepatitis, and 3 of their family contacts. Evidence of infection with hepatitis A virus was obtained by detecting hepatitis A antigen in stools, and/or antibody to it in sera, by immune electron microscopy. Infection with hepatitis B virus was determined by testing for hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody in serum, by solid phase radioimmunoassay. Sixteen patients were found to have diseases other than viral hepatitis and 2 patients (child contacts) suffered no illness. There was clinical and/or biochemical evidence compatible with viral hepatitis in 82 patients, of whom 35 were confirmed as having hepatitis A and 31 as having hepatitis B infections. In the remaining 16 patients there was no evidence of infection with either hepatitis A or B virus. It is possible that some of these patients may have been infected with viral agents as yet unidentified.


Seroimmunity to polioviruses in an urban population of Italy. In a seroepidemiological survey on immunity to polioviruses, carried out in Rome, neutralizing antibodies were titrated on 602 serum samples collected from individuals aged from 6 months to 88 years. The geometric mean titres were 25.24, 25.92, and 18.12 for poliovirus types 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The number of seronegative results for each virus strain was very low (</=1.5%). The immune status of the study population could therefore be considered satisfactory. The distribution of antibody reactivity in different age groups was similar for poliovirus types 1 and 3, while for type 2 a significant difference in titres was found between adults and children.


Poxvirus infection of the baboon (Papio cynocephalus). Ten serial passages of monkeypox (MPV), vaccinia, variola, and chimpanzeepox (chimp-9) viruses were performed in baboons (Papio cynocephalus) via skin scarification. Comparisons of clinical and virological results indicate that MPV and vaccinia are very closely related and that variola and chimp-9 viruses are identical. These findings suggest that infections of simians with chimp-9 virus resulted from contact with variola virus, the source of which is still unknown. On the other hand, MPV in monkeys may have resulted from contact with recently vaccinated humans, serial passage through simian hosts resulting in the biological alterations that produced MPV.


[Immunocytological identification of two cell types in the intermediate lobe of the hypophysis of salmonids: presence of ACTH and alpha-MSH]. The lead-haematoxylin positive cells (PbH+) of the rostral pars distalis react with antibodies anti-1-24 ACTH and anti-17-39 ACTH; the pars intermedia (PI) is composed of two cell categories, but only one is revealed with cyto-immunological techniques and contains ACTH and alpha-MSH in several Salmonid species.


[Demonstration of a cytosol protein binding cholesterol in the adrenal glands]. Characterization of a cytosolic protein of adrenal origin that binds cholesterol. Adrenal cytosol contains a thermostable protein which binds cholesterol specifically and non-covalently. The sedimentation coefficient of the complex is close to 3 S. The side chain of the cholesterol molecule is responsible for the binding specificity.


Stimulation of cholesterol esterification in rhesus monkey arterial smooth muscle cells. The influence of homologous high density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) and of whole hypercholesterolemic serum on the esterification of oleic acid and cholesterol was studied in rhesus monkey arterial smooth muscle cells. Whole hypercholesterolemic serum and isolated LDL stimulated cholesterol esterification as much as 10-fold using either cholesterol-1,2-3H or oleate-1-14C as substrate. At the same concentrations of cholesterol, HDL stimulated cholesterol esterification to a lesser extent, to a maximum of 3-fold. Associated with the stimulation of cholesterol esterification by LDL or whole hypercholesterolemic serum was a greater than 10-fold increase in the cholesteryl ester content of the arterial smooth muscle cells. Esterification to cholesterol reached a maximum after 8-12 hours of culture with either hypercholesterolemic serum or LDL. The stimulation of esterification was specific for esterification to cholesterol because there was little change in incorporation of fatty acid into triglycerides and phospholipids. These studies provide further evidence that a major consequence of the interaction of plasma LDL with the cellular elements of the arterial wall is a stimulation of cholesterol esterification. These studies, coupled with the observation that cholesteryl esters, more than any other single component, increase in the atherosclerotic artery, suggest an important role of a stimulation in cholesterol esterification in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.


Effect of intrarenal angiotensin II blockade on renal function in conscious dogs. The effects of intrarenal infusion of 1-sar-8-ala angiotension II (P 113) and a converting enzyme inhibitor, SQ 20881, at doses that did not affect systemic blood pressure (2.0 mug/kg per min) were studied in conscious, uninephrectomized dogs. In dogs receiving approximately equal to 5 mEq/day of sodium, intrarenal infusion of P 113 increased renal blood flow (RBF) from 219.8 +/- 32.3 to 282.7 +/- 20.0 ml/min (P less than 0.004), and with intrarenal SQ 20881 infusion from 215.3 +/- 14.2 to 278.0 +/- 22.2 ml/min (p less than 0.005). In sodium-restricted dogs (approximately equal to 5 mEq/day), glomerular filtration rate (GFR) also increased with intrarenal P 113 infusion from 57.9 +/- 5.7 to 66.3 +/- 6.6 ml/min (P less than 0.05), and with SQ 20881 infusion from 43.1 +/- 2.1 to 55.7 +/- 4.5 ml/min (P less than 0.01). Dogs on approximately equal to 5 mEq/day of sodium showed significant increases in plasma renin activity (PRA) with intrarenal infusion of the peptides, unmasking a negative feedback inhibition of renin release by angiotensin II. No increases in RBF, GFR, or PRA were seen with infusion without inhibitors, or in dogs give P 113 or SQ 20881 while on approximately equal to 80 mEq/day of sodium. In addition, angiotensin II inhibition increased sodium excretion during sodium restriction. These findings suggest that intrarenal angiotensin II is intimately involved in renal responses to sodium restriction which result in conservation of sodium and water.


Inhibition of sympathetic neurotransmission in canine blood vessels by adenosine and adenine nucleotides. Adenosine and the adenine nucleotides caused a greater relaxation of strips of canine saphenous vein and tibial artery when they had been contracted by nerve stimulation than by exogenous norepinephrine. An infusion of adenosine into the dogs' lateral saphenous vein, perfused at constant flow, caused a greater relaxation of this vein when constricted by electrical stimulation of the lumbar sympathetic chain than by exogenous norepinephrine. That this difference was due to inhibition by these compounds of the output of neurotransmitter from the sympathetic nerve endings was demonstrated by column chromatographic analysis of the radioactivity in the superfusion fluid of vein strips, previously incubated with tritiated norepinephrine. Both adenosine and adenosine triphosphate (10(-5) M) reduced the efflux of 3H-norepinephrine during nerve stimulation with electrical impulses. Adenosine also reduced the efflux caused by potassium (30 mM), but not that caused by tyramine (6 X 10(-6) M). Theophylline antagonized the inhibitory effect of adenosine on the sympathetic neurotransmission. We found that at 4 X 10(-4) M adenosine triphosphate still caused a decreased efflux of neurotransmitter during electrical stimulation, but with adenosine the 3H-norepinephrine efflux no longer decreased and the overflow of deaminated compounds increased. Furthermore, the same concentration of adenosine increased the efflux of 3H-norepinephrine and deaminated compounds in unstimulated strips, and the increase of 3H-norepinephrine was enhanced after monoamine oxidase inhibition. Thus, we conclude that at higher concentrations adenosine increases the intraneuronal leakage of norepinephrine out of the storage vesicles.


HDL cholesterol and other lipids in coronary heart disease. The cooperative lipoprotein phenotyping study. The relation between coronary heart disease (CHD) prevalence and fasting lipid levels was assessed by a case-control study in five populations with a total of 6859 men and women of black, Japanese and white ancestry drawn from subjects aged 40 years and older from populations in Albany, Framingham, Evans County, Honolulu and San Francisco. In each major study group mean levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were lower in persons with CHD than in those without the disease. The average difference was small -- typically 3-4 mg/dl -- but statistically significant. It was found in most age-race-sex specific groups. The inverse HDL cholesterol-CHD association was not appreciably diminished when adjusted for levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglyceride. LDL, totoal cholesterol and triglycerides were directly related to CHD prevalence; surprisingly, these findings were less uniformly present in the various study groups than the inverse HDL cholesterol-CHD association.


The electrophoretic mobility of lipoprotein X in postheparin plasma. After incubation whole plasma and low density lipoproteins (LDL) taken before and 10 min after intravenous administration of heparin, from a patient with primary biliary cirrhosis and a patient with familial lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) deficiency, have been tested for the presence of lipoprotein X (LP-X) by agar gel electrophoresis. LP-X was present in preheparin whole plasma and LDL. No precipitation lines on the cathodal side of the wells, indicating the absence of LP-X, were seen after electrophoresis of postheparin plasma and LDL. Immunodiffusion revealed the presence of apo-beta-lipoproteins and LP-X in preheparin as well as postheparin LDL. After gel filtration three subfractions and similar patterns were observed in the preheparin and postheparin LDL. Electronmicroscopical examination of the intermediate subfractions showed LP-X-like particles in preheparin and postheparin samples. These observations indicate a changed electrophoretic mobility in agar gel of postheparin LP-X, giving a false negative LP-X test by the conventional agar gel electrophoresis.


Prolyl hydroxylase activity in human normal skins and post-burn scars. Post-burn granulation tissues showed an extraordinary high prolyl hydroxylase (EC 1.14.11.2; proline, 2-oxoglutarate dioxygenase) activity, 25 to 50 times higher than the mean value of human normal skins from the frontal thighs of 15 subjects, 385 +/- 247 (S.D.) cpm/min/g of wet weight tissue. The activity in the scars decreased sharply within 4 to 5 months, and then gradually decreased to the normal range after 2 years or so. Well-aged scars tended to show lower values than the mean value of normal skins.


Type III hyperlipoproteinemia: a comparative study of current diagnostic techniques. Research into the prevalence, genetic transmission and pathophysiology of Type III hyperlipoproteinemia has suffered from the lack of a practical specific diagnostic procedure. In this study, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) compositional criteria were established in a population lacking the beta-migrating VLDL characteristic of this disorder. Diagnosis by these criteria was compared to diagnosis using current criteria for the Type III lipoprotein pattern. In addition two techniques for detecting Type III without preliminary VLDL isolation by ultracentrifugation were evaluated. Plasma triglyceride (TG) concentration dependent cutlines for the compositional criteria reduced false positives at low TG levels and false negatives at high TG levels. Furthermore, an agarose electrophoresis heparin-manganese precipitation technique was effective for screening for a possible Type III pattern in plasma whereas the combination agarose-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis system was not effective.


Excretion of galactitol in the urine of heterozygotes of both forms of galactosemia. In 36 heterozygotes with Gal-1-PUT deficiency and 3 heterozygotes with galactokinase deficiency galactitol (and galactose) was determined in the urine 2 and 4 h after an intravenous injection of 350 mg galactose/kg body weight (maximum dosis in adults 16 g). For the sake of comparison 10 healthy children and 5 adults, also 4 homozygotes with Gal-1-PUT deficiency and one sick child with galactokinase deficiency were included in this study. The heterozygotes with Gal-1-PUT deficiency demonstrated the same galactitol excretion as the healthy probands, while heterozygotes with galactokinase deficiency excreted a four-fold higher quantity of galactitol than the healthy and heterozygous probands of Gal-1-PUT deficiency. The child with the galactokinase deficiency excreted galactitol for a period of more than 24 h. These results are discussed.


Lung tumours and ACTH production.

Lung tumours and ACTH production. ACTH levels measured by N- and C-terminal immunoassays and cytochemical bioassay, were measured in fourteen lung tumours not associated with the ectopic ACTH syndrome and in macroscopically normal lung tissue taken from the same patients at thoracotomy. Significant concentrations of immunocative (greater than 3 ng/g wet weight) and bioactive (greater than 0.2 ng/g wet weight) ACTH were found in all the carcinoid and oat cell tumours (n=9), a combined tumour (poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with large cell carcinoid elements), and a poorly differentiated squamous cell tumour. All the carcinoid tumours contained more C- than N-terminal ACTH immunoactivity. The squamous cell tumours (n=2), anaplastic tumours (n=2) and adenocarcinoma contained insignificant ACTH levels. There was a good correlation between the ACTH levels and the presence of secretory granules in the tumours examined ultrastructually. All the macroscopically normal samples of lung tissue contained immuno and bioactive ACTH-like material, the levels of which correlated well with ACTH levels in the tumour tissue. It is suggested that all lung tumours of carcinoid or oat cell type synthesize ACTH-like materials although clinical evidence of the ectopic ACTH syndrome may be absent. The presence of ACTH-like materials in non-tumorous lung tissue in patients with lung cancer may indicate a low level of ACTH production throughout the lung or sequestration of ACTH containing granules secreted by the tumour.


Continuity of care between the psychiatric hospital and public schools. Seventy-five professionals from three psychiatric training hospitals were interviewed to ascertain their attitudes and stated practices concerning educational aftercare planning and implementation. Findings revealed that 75% of the professionals did not routinely contact the schools despite their acknowledgment of the school's potential for facilitating rehabilitation. Neither discipline nor hospital were related to attitudes or to reported behavior concerning the hospital's relationship with the school. Suggestions for improving the continuum of care are discussed.


Daily fluctuations in the plasma cortisol level of children with rheumatoid arthritis before and after treatment with tetracosactrin ('Cortrosyn Depot') and corticosteroid hormones. Daily fluctuations in plasma cortisol levels were studied in three groups of children with rheumatoid arthritis. One group was untreated with hormones, the second treated with a depot preparation of tetracosactrin, and the third group with corticosteroid hormones. The results obtained were compared with the rhythm in normal children. The daily plasma cortisol fluctuations in children with rheumatoid arthritis who did not receive hormonal treatment differed from those of normal children by the presence of two distinct and characteristic cortisol levels: a peak between 8 a.m. and 12 noon and a minimal level between 4 p.m. and midnight (with a gradual rise after 4 p.m.). The curve of the daily cortisol rhythm in children with rheumatoid arthritis after tetracosactrin treatment was characteristic of the curve in normal children. Steroidtreated children with rheumatoid arthritis had virtually unchanged plasma cortisol concentrations throughout the day.


Perforation of the colon in unsuspected amebic colitis: report of two cases. Two cases of amebic colitis that resulted in perforation of the colon, an ominous complication, are presented. The first was diagnosed preoperatively as acute ulcerative colitis with toxic megacolon, and the second as peritonitis complicating acute cholecystitis. In both instances the correct diagnosis was made after operation. The first patient recovered after colectomy and antiamebic therapy, but the second patient died in the early postoperative period, in septic shock. Amebic colitis occurs infrequently in the United States, and the diagnosis is rarely considered. In most cases an initial diagnosis of ulcerative or granulomatous colitis is made and the true diagnosis is recognized only after operation for colonic perforation or hepatic abscess. It is suggested that amebic colitis should be considered more frequently in cases of patients who have diarrhea. Stool examination for ova and parasites is often negative in amebic colitis. The IHA is usually positive in emebiasis, and should be performed early in casesof patients who have bloody diarrhea or other clinical symptons when amebiasis is suspected. Rectal biopsy is also a useful diagnostic approach, but failed to reveal amebae in one of our cases. Finally, it is suggested that operation be performed urgently when fulminating amebic colitis is not reversed by antiamebic therapy, when peritonitis occurs even with antiamebic treatment in progess, and for colonic perforation or toxic megacolon even when antiamebic therapy has not been indicated.


[Simultaneous occurrence of primary hyperparathyroidism and pituitary Cushing's syndrome (author's transl)]. A case of primary hyperparathyroidism and coincidental Cushing's syndrome of hypothalamic-hypophyseal origin is reported. The hyperparathyroidism was based on an adenoma of the parathyroid glands and produced a severe hypercalcaemia (4.5 mmol/l) and calcinosis of kidneys and lungs. The Cushing's syndrome was caused by a hyperplasiogenic ACTH cell-adenoma of the pituitary which had induced a regulative hyperplasia of the ACTH-dependent zones of the adrenal cortex. The ultrastructure of the zona fasciculata and reticularis showed a conspicuous activation of the steroid hormone-producing organelles. The two endocrine diseases added together in skeleton, heart, duodenum, and pancreas. As a sign of hyperparathyroidism the osteoclastic absorption of the bone was strongly increased, whereas the bone formation was reduced due to the hypercortisolism. The pancreas showed a severe acute recurrence of chronic pancreatitis which was induced by a parathyrotoxic crisis. This was the immediate cause of death.