Acta Medica Okayama volume34 issue6

A transplantable plasma cell leukemia cell line, designated as S27, was established from a 12-month-old female New Zealand Black mouse (NZB); serum showed polyclonal elevation of gamma globulin with agarose-agar gel electrophoresis. Immunoelectrophoretic analysis of the serum showed precipitation lines in the IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b and IgM regions. The amount of serum immunoglobulin increased rapidly with tumor growth. S27 cells proliferating in the spleen contained simultaneously IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b in the cytoplasm as revealed by indirect immunofluorescence. Membrane immunofluorescence revealed IgG1 on the tumor cell surface. S27 cells were transplantable to syngeneic NZB mice with inoculation of spleen cell suspension, and showed the same histological and immunological findings as those of the original mouse. These findings imply that a single clone of plasma cells has the capacity to produce more than one class of immunoglobulin.

The effect of glucosamine on phenotypic mixing between vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and avian sarcoma virus (ASV) was studied. Phenotypic mixing decreased with increase in glucosamine concentration, and, in the presence of 20 mM glucosamine, was no longer detectable. In the presence of 20 mM glucosamine, cells still produced 10(2)--10(3) focus forming units (FFU) of ASV and 10(6) plaque forming units (PFU) of VSV per milliliter. These results suggest that cells producing a relatively large amount of ASV (more than 10(3) FFU/ml) are essential for phenotypic mixing of VSV with ASV.

Sixty-four patients with confirmed bronchial asthma were treated with HC 20-511 (Ketotifen). HC20-511 was evaluated to be very effective in 6.3%, effective in 50.0% and slightly effective in 10.9% of these patients. The appearance of reactive basophils was inhibited by HC 20-511 in 5 out of 6 cases of reaction to house dust, in all three cases with buckwheat allergy to their allergen and in 7 out of 11 cases to anti-IgE. These results confirm that HC 20-511 inhibits type I allergic reactions induced by specific allergen and IgE.

Fifty patients with chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) grouped into four stages on the basis of clinical and hematological results were analyzed with chromosomal banding techniques. Of the 50 patients, 48 hand the "standard" type of Ph1 translocation, t(9 ; 22) (q34 ; q11) and the remaining 2 had Ph1-negative diploid karyotype. The frequency of numerical chromosomal changes and/or structural chromosomal changes other than the Ph1 translocation varied with the stages; the frequency was 1 of 28 cases (3.6%) for patients in stage I (chronic phase), 5 of 11 (45.5%) in stage II (early stage of blastic phase), 11 of 13 (84.6%) in stage III (blastic phase) and 2 of 7 (28.6%) in stage IV (remission phase). Numerical changes in hyperdiploid leukemic cells correlated well with the appearance of extra #8 and extra Ph1 In 5 cases with hypodiploid leukemic cells, one of the #7 pair was absent in 4 cases and Y in 1 case. As structural changes, partial excess of chromosome 1, isochromosome 17q, isochromosome 1q, tdic (20p+ ; 21q-), del (7) (q11), t(2p+ ; 11p-), #12q+ and Xp+ were observed. Chromosomal analysis alone is not the best marker to diagnose the onset of blastic phase; however, it is a useful parameter when considered in combination with clinical and hematological results.

The levels of hippuric acid in the urine of people exposed to toluene vapour were measured by paper chromatography, direct colorimetry, high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography. The control was a similar group not exposed to toluene vapour. The values were analyzed statistically, conversion equations calculated, and the propriety of these equation discussed. Since the three chromatographic methods gave similar values, the measurement of urinary hippuric acid by these methods can be used as an index of toluene exposure. The colorimetric method gave higher levels the chromatographic methods, especially for the urine of people not exposed to toluene. This may have been due to glycine conjugates (other than hippuric acid) developing a similar color, resulting in elevated values for hippuric acid. This colorimetric method should be used with caution for biological evaluation of workers with low toluene exposure.

A permeable cell system has been developed by treatment with digitonin for studying in vitro DNA replication of chromatin. DNA replication of simian virus 40 nucleoprotein complexes (SV40 chromatin) in digitonin-treated permeable cells was analyzed by electrophoresis in agarose-gel. Autoradiography of the agarose-gel revealed that [32P]dCTP was incorporated in SV40 DNA I, II and replicating intermediates. The time course of the incorporation indicated the complete replication of SV40 DNA and chromatin with a full number of nucleosomes. The digitonin-treated permeable cell system will serve as a useful system for studying in vitro DNA replication of chromatin.

The effect of Picibanil, a streptococcal agent, on the development of liver injury after operations for urogenital cancer was studied retrospectively in the light of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity. The series comprised 32 cases receiving Picibanil and 33 controls with otherwise comparable clinical backgrounds. Picibanil reduced the incidence of postoperative ALT rise over 50 U/l within 6 weeks but increased it thereafter. The increase in ALT activity after 6 weeks was relatively small and was seen more often in patients given blood transfusions. It was interpreted as retardation and suppression of ALT rise and as being related to the induction of interferon or to immunopotentiation. Other antihepatotoxic effects of Picibanil, due to its antioxidant activity, for example, may also account for the prevention of the early postoperative rise in ALT activity.