Identification of tumor suppressor loci on the long arm of chromosome 15 in primary small cell lung cancer

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) frequently shows a loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosome 15q. In order to define the commonly affected region on chromosome 15q, we tested 23 primary SCLCs by microsatellite analysis. By analyzing 43 polymorphic microsatellite markers located on chromosome 15q, we found that 14 (60.8%) of 23 tumors exhibited a LOH in at least one of the tested microsatellite markers. Two (14.3%) of the 14 tumors were found to have more than a 50% LOH on chromosome 15q. LOH was observed in five commonly deleted regions on 15q. Of those regions, LOH from D15S1012 to D15S1016 was the most frequent (47.8%). LOH was also observed in more than 20-30% of tumors at four other regions, from D15S1031 to D15S1007, from D15S643 to D15S980, from D15S979 to D15S202, and from D15S652 to D15S642. Four of the 23 tumors exhibited shifted bands in at least one of the tested microsatellite markers. Shifted bands occurred in 3.2% (29 of 914) of the loci tested. Our data suggests the presence of at least five tumor suppressor loci on chromosome 15q in SCLC, and further that these may play an important role in SCLC tumorigenesis.     

人era的结构特点分析及其定点突变体的构建

目的：构建最近克隆的人era基因的定点突变体。方法：利用数据库对era的结构特点进行分析，在此基础上用改良的重叠延伸法分别构建人EraN端和C端的定点突变体。结果：获得了分别针对人EraN端TGP结合结构域（位于29－36氨基酸残基）和C端具有RNA结合活性的 KH结构域（位于297－340氨基酸残基）的定点突变体。结论:人era定点突变体的构建为进一步的功能研究奠定了基础。     

High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of the D4 receptor antagonist SCH 66712 in rat plasma

SCH 66712 is a potent and selective dopamine D4 receptor antagonist. An HPLC method was developed for the analysis of SCH 66712 in the plasma of rats, a species used for safety evaluation of this compound. The method involved solid-phase extraction on an ethyl cartridge and HPLC separation on a reversed-phase C8 column with quantitation using a fluorescence detector. The calibration curve was linear over a concentration range of 5-100 ng/ml. The limit of quantitation was 5 ng/ml, where the coefficient of variation (C.V.) was 2.9% and the bias was 6%. The precision of the method was satisfactory as indicated by an intra-day C.V. of < or = 4% and an inter-day C.V. of < or = 6%. The accuracy was also satisfactory as shown by an intra-day bias of < or = 8% and an inter-day bias of < or = 9%. The assay was shown to be sensitive, specific, accurate, precise, and reliable for use in pharmacokinetic or toxicokinetic studies.     

HIV－1Protease在大肠杆菌中的高表达

艾滋病的致病因子为人免疫缺陷病毒。该病毒的蛋白酶在病毒复制和成熟中具有决定性的意义。由于目前国内外尚未获得艾滋病病毒蛋白酶高效表达的重组子及简便的活性检测系统，限制了它的研究与应用。本文将用ＰＣＲ技术修饰的ＨＩＶＰｒ基因克隆入原核高效表达载体ｐＴＴＱ１８的ＥｃｏＲⅠ和ＨｉｎｄⅢ酶切位点之间，并用豆芽核酸酶将ＥｃｏＲⅠ的粘端削平，构建了读框正确的表达载体，ＩＰＴＧ诱导表明，该重组子在大肠杆菌中获得了高表达，激光扫描结果表明：重组的ＨＩＶＰｒ占细菌总蛋白８．９％以上。     

Amnesia syndrome following left anterior thalamic infarction; with intrahemispheric and crossed cerebro-cerebellar diaschisis on brain SPECT.

We report a 61-year-old right-handed man developing disturbance of memory after a discrete thalamic infarction. Neuropsychological assessment revealed deficits in memory with retrograde and anterograde components, especially for verbal material. Brain MRI showed a left anterior thalamic infarction with normal angiographic findings. Despite the small lesion in the thalamus, he showed prolonged memory disturbance and a Brain SPECT image revealed decreased uptake in the ipsilateral fronto-temporo-parietal cortex and contralateral cerebellum. This diaschisis, a phenomenon caused by disconnection of the neural pathway helped us to evaluate the functional state of the patient and this imaging technique was valuable for obtaining to get more information for the evaluation of the neurological state and neuronal connections. In conclusion our findings correspond well with the understanding of amnesia as a disconnection syndrome because of the evidence of diaschisis on the Brain SPECT image.     

Characteristics and diagnoses of cockroach-sensitive bronchial asthma.

Bronchial asthma with cockroach hypersensitivity is prevalent among urban asthmatic populations. To elucidate characteristics of cockroach asthma, we analyzed 592 consecutive urban Chicago asthmatic patients retrospectively. Allergy skin testing (AST) with common inhalants, serum total IgE, and cockroach-specific IgE (IgE-CR) antibodies were measured. Some cockroach asthmatics were studied further for bronchial reactivity in vivo and histamine releasability (HR) in vitro against cockroach allergen (CRa), and diagnostic accuracy for asthma was analyzed. Clinical characteristics were evaluated and compared with those of ragweed asthmatics and asthmatics in general. Two hundred eighty-three (196 women, 87 men) were reactive to CRa by AST. The average age and duration of cockroach asthma were 30.4 and 15.1 years, respectively. Steroid dependency of the cockroach asthma was higher (32%) than those of general asthmatics (P less than .05) and ragweed asthma (P less than .05). IgE level was elevated (geometric mean 413.2 IU/mL), higher than that of general asthmatics (P less than .001), and 87% showed IgE level higher than 100 IU/mL. IgE-CR and BPT-CR were positive in 61% (175 tested) and in 87% (166 tested), respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of skin test were 99% and 40%, while those of IgE-CR were 91% and 58%, respectively. IgE-CR increased probability of cockroach asthma from 87% to 91%. BPT with CRa was correlated well with the HR of leukocytes (P less than .0001). Thus, cockroach asthma is a severe allergic asthma and can be diagnosed accurately by skin test plus BPT or skin test plus HR.     

Thinning of fetal pulmonary arterial wall and postnatal remodelling: Ultrastructural studies on the respiratory unit arteries of the pig

Summary Adaptation to extra-uterine life and postnatal remodelling of intra-acinar arteries was followed in 34 Large White pigs, from birth to adult life, applying morphometry to light and electronmicroscopic studies. After birth, percentage wall thickness decreased rapidly due to a reduction in overlap of adjacent smooth muscle cells and an increase in smooth muscle cell surface area/volume ratio, (p<0.01 at 12 h), without a reduction in the volume density of smooth muscle cells. Smooth muscle cells appeared immature at birth and synthetic rather than contractile organelles predominated. Between 3 weeks and 6 months myofilament volume density doubled (p< 0.0001). At all ages, pericytes, intermediate and smooth muscle cells showed similar volume densities of contractile and synthetic organelles. Thus, the high fetal pulmonary vascular resistance appeared to be due to the shape and arrangement of smooth muscle and other contractile cells within the vessel wall, rather than an excessive contractility of these cells. After birth rapid remodelling of arterial wall structure achieved a reduction in wall thickness by 30 min, continuing during the first week of life. After 3 weeks, remodelling involved an increase in wall thickness, connective tissue deposition with more collagen than elastin (p<0.0001), and smooth muscle cell differentiation.     

The histopathologic spectrum in Mycobacterium marinum infection

Review of nine culture-positive cases of Mycobacterium marinum infection revealed a broad range in the histopathologic features of lesions produced by this organism. Four synovial lesions and five cutaneous infections were observed. A range of inflammatory changes were seen in both synovial and skin lesions, varying from mostly acute inflammation with suppuration to a more chronic process with numerous, well-formed granulomas. Organisms were observed in the biopsy sections of only one of the nine cases. Therefore, culture of the biopsy tissue at 30 degrees C is crucial in establishing the diagnosis. These cases emphasize the importance of considering mycobacterial infection and performing cultures even when granulomatous changes in the synovium or skin are subtle.     

The effect of celecoxib, a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, in familial adenomatous polyposis

BACKGROUND: Patients with familial adenomatous polyposis have a nearly 100 percent risk of colorectal cancer. In this disease, the chemopreventive effects of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs may be related to their inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2. METHODS: We studied the effect of celecoxib, a selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, on colorectal polyps in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we randomly assigned 77 patients to treatment with celecoxib (100 or 400 mg twice daily) or placebo for six months. Patients underwent endoscopy at the beginning and end of the study. We determined the number and size of polyps from photographs and videotapes; the response to treatment was expressed as the mean percent change from base line. RESULTS: At base line, the mean (+/-SD) number of polyps in focal areas where polyps were counted was 15.5+/-13.4 in the 15 patients assigned to placebo, 11.5+/-8.5 in the 32 patients assigned to 100 mg of celecoxib twice a day, and 12.3+/-8.2 in the 30 patients assigned to 400 mg of celecoxib twice a day (P=0.66 for the comparison among groups). After six months, the patients receiving 400 mg of celecoxib twice a day had a 28.0 percent reduction in the mean number of colorectal polyps (P=0.003 for the comparison with placebo) and a 30.7 percent reduction in the polyp burden (the sum of polyp diameters) (P=0.001), as compared with reductions of 4.5 and 4.9 percent, respectively, in the placebo group. The improvement in the extent of colorectal polyposis in the group receiving 400 mg twice a day was confirmed by a panel of endoscopists who reviewed the videotapes. The reductions in the group receiving 100 mg of celecoxib twice a day were 11.9 percent (P=0.33 for the comparison with placebo) and 14.6 percent (P=0.09), respectively. The incidence of adverse events was similar among the groups. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with familial adenomatous polyposis, six months of twice-daily treatment with 400 mg of celecoxib, a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, leads to a significant reduction in the number of colorectal polyps.     

Generation of monoclonal antibodies to cryptic collagen sites by using subtractive immunization

The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a fundamental role in the regulation of normal and pathological processes. The most abundantly expressed component found in the ECM is collagen. Triple helical collagen is known to be highly resistant to proteolytic cleavage except by members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family of enzymes. To date little is known concerning the biochemical consequences of collagen metabolism on human diseases. This is due in part to the lack of specific reagents that can distinguish between proteolyzed and triple helical forms of collagen. Here we used the technique of Subtractive Immunization (SI) to generate two unique monoclonal antibodies (MAbs HUIV26 and HUI77) that react with denatured and proteolyzed forms of collagen, but show little if any reaction with triple helical collagen. Importantly, HUIV26 and HUI77 react with cryptic sites within the ECM of human melanoma tumors, demonstrating their utility for immunohistochemical analysis in vivo. Thus, the generation of these novel MAbs not only identify specific cryptic epitopes within triple helical collagen, but also provide important new reagents for studying the roles of collagen remodeling in normal as well as pathological processes.