Effect of interferon on colony formation in culture by blast cell progenitors in acute myeloblastic leukemia

The effect of purified human fibroblast interferon on primary and secondary colony formation by blast progenitors from the peripheral blood of patients with acute myelogenous leukemia was examined. Interferon inhibited blast progenitors and normal granulocyte/macrophage progenitors (CFU-C) in a dose-dependent manner. The magnitude of this effect on blast progenitors and CFU was similar. Interferon also inhibited secondary plating of blast progenitors (self- renewal). This effect was in marked contrast to the effect of adriamycin, which reduced primary plating efficiency of blast progenitors but did not affect self-renewal. Inhibition of blast progenitor proliferation by interferon was markedly reduced when interferon was added after 24 hr of culture and was absent when added after 72 hr. Inhibition of self-renewal was observed even when interferon was added at 72 hr. We conclude that interferon inhibits both primary proliferation and self-renewal of blast progenitors and that this effect is not due to reduction in the number of primary colonies. These experiments provide an example of how cell culture techniques may be used to test antitumor agents for effects on important cellular events other than general cytotoxicity.     

Shedding Light on Blepharospasm: A Patient–Researcher Partnership Approach to Assessment of Photophobia and Impact on Activities of Daily Living

This study assessed photophobia in patients with benign essential blepharospasm (BEB), and determined the impact of blepharospasm on activities of daily living. Utilizing a patient–researcher collaborative approach, this study was conducted in partnership with the Benign Essential Blepharospasm Research Foundation. Of 316 respondents, 94% reported light sensitivity and 25% reported severe activity limitations. Photophobia appears to be more prominent in BEB than previously thought. Light exacerbates and triggers symptoms that compromise quality of life by affecting daily activities. Collaboration with self-advocates can be an effective way to conduct questionnaire-based research. The authors recommend development of other studies that use this type of partnership.     

Preoperative embolization of Wilms' tumors.

In two patients with Wilms' tumors, the ipsilateral kidney was nonfunctional. To facilitate initial surgical removal of the tumors, a preoperative transcatheter embolization was performed following diagnostic arteriography. Preoperative embolization of a renal tumor reduces the vascularity of the lesion prior to surgery, and a patient in whom primary surgical removal of the tumor would carry unacceptable risk may be converted into one in whom primary surgical removal is safe.     

Assessment of testicular metabolic integrity with P-31 MR spectroscopy

To evaluate the reliability of phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy in the assessment of acute testicular ischemia, vascular integrity, and spermatogenesis, the authors studied in vivo canine and primate testicles grouped as follows: group 1 testes (n = 8), in situ canine controls; group 2 (n = 11), canine testes subjected to warm ischemia; group 3, canine (n = 4) and primate (n = 4) testicles from hormone-treated animals. Group 1 control testicles showed high monophosphoester (MP) levels; low levels of inorganic phosphate (Pi), phosphodiester (PD), and phosphocreatine; and high levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Group 2 testes revealed a time-dependent decay of MP/Pi ratios (from 2.1 to 0.70). Regeneration of ATP was noted in the acute reperfusion period. After 6 weeks of pituitary gonadotropin suppression, group 3 testes showed a significant decrease (P less than .05) in MP/PD ratios from a control level of 2.6 +/- 0.3 and a decrease in the MP/beta-ATP ratio from 2.4 +/- 0.1 to 1.8 +/- 0.3. P-31 MR spectroscopy appears to be a potential method for noninvasively assessing testicular ischemic injury and the metabolic integrity of spermatogenesis.