CARCINOID TUMOUR ARISING IN A RECURRENT INTRADURAL SPINAL TERATOMA

We report the case of a recurrent intradural spinal teratoma in a 44-year-old woman. Histological examination showed the lesion to be composed entirely of mature elements including an argyrophil carcinoid tumour. Electron microscopy showed the neoplastic cells to possess the ultrastructural features of a foregut type APUDoma. Gamma enolase, a marker of APUD cells, was demonstrated in the neoplasm by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique. This method was also used to demonstrate the presence of cytokeratins in the neoplastic cells and the squamous and columnar epithelia within the teratoma. These results are consistent with the suggestion that APUD cells of foregut type may be of endodermal rather than neuroectodermal origin.     

SULPHATED ACID MUCOPOLYSACCHARIDES IN ACTINIC ELASTOSIS

SUMMARY.— The incorporation of ³⁵SO₄ into the acid mucopolysaccharides of skin in vitro has been used to study the metabolism of these substances in skin showing gross actinic elastosis, in exposed skin with less severe actinic changes, and in non-exposed skin.
Whereas no alteration in the pattern of incorporation was demonstrated in the epidermis, elastotic dermis showed an increased incorporation of ³⁵SO₄, especially into the chondroitin-6-sulphate peak, as compared to the non-exposed dermis. The possible biological implications of these results are discussed, namely, (a) that treatment with weak alkali produces a greater yield of sulphated acid mucopolysaccharides from elastotic dermis than from normal dermis, or (b) that these substances are depolymerized in elastotic dermis with alteration in their elution positions on ion-exchange resin chromatography, or (c) that a real increase in turnover of chondroitin-6-sulphate exists when elastin is being laid down.     

Structure activity studies of tryptophan30 modified analogs of Ac-CCK-7

Cholecystokinin represents a family of gut hormones which among other activities, have been proposed to participate in satiety signaling. Ac-CCK-7 [Ac-Tyr(SO₃H)-Met-Gly-Trp³⁰-Met-Asp-Phe-NH₂ (2)] possesses the full spectrum of activity and potency of the intact hormone; thus analogs of 2 may be useful as anorectic agents. A series of derivatives has been prepared in which the tryptophan indole moiety of 2 has been modified. The new compounds were assayed in CCK binding assays using homogenated rat pancreatic membranes and bovine striatum as a source of CCK-A and CCK-B receptors respectively and in vivo in rats for anorectic activity. Although previous studies have concluded that the indole ring of Trp³⁰ is a critical pharmacophore for the interaction of CCK with both its A and B type receptors, we find 2-Nal³⁰-Ac-CCK-7 (20) to be nearly equipotent to 2 in both CCK binding and as an anorectic agent sensitive to blockade by the Merck CCK-A receptor antagonist MK-329. The extreme structural sensitivity of this anorectic activity is illustrated by the l-naphthylalanine³⁰ (19) and (benzo[b]thien-2-yl)alanine³⁰ (21) analogs which are 30 and 100 times less potent than 2 respectively. Other mono- and bicyclic Trp³⁰ replacements, including substituted phenylalanines, 3-quinolinylalanine, and 2-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro)naphthylalanine, gave inactive compounds.