ADCC of Cultured Human Melanoma Cells: Analysis with Monoclonal Antibodies to Human Melanoma-associated Antigens

Four monoclonal antibodies to human melanoma-associated antigens (MAA) were found to be able to mediate specific cell-dependent lysis (ADCC) of cultured human melanoma cells. The extent of specific lysis of melanoma cells was influenced by the effector to target cell ratio, the amount of antibody added to the reaction mixture, and the incubation time. Cultured melanoma cells treated for 16 h with puromycin or cycloheximide (final concentration, 1.0 μg/ml) displayed increased Susceptibility to ADCC even though the cell surface expression of MAA was not changed. On the other hand, treatment of melanoma cells with tunicamycin (final concentration, 1.0 μg/ml) reduced the expression of MAA but did not affect susceptibility to ADCC. These findings suggest that other properties of the target cell membrane besides antigen density play a role in the outcome of ADCC reaction.     

Twenty-Seven-Year Follow-up of Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia

OBATA, H., et al. : Twenty-Seven-Year Follow-up of Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia. This case report describes clinical features, especially of surface ECG changes, observed for 27 years in a patient with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD). The course of this patient was characterized by progressive deterioration of right ventricular function and progression of delayed potentials (so-called epsilon waves) following QRS complexes. However, the relation between ventricular arrhythmias and ECG changes or the degree of right ventricular abnormality was difficult to discern.     

Ptosis as Partial Oculomotor Nerve Palsy Due to Compression by Infundibular Dilatation of Posterior Communicating Artery,Visualized with Three-Dimensional Computer Graphics: Case Report

Oculomotor nerve palsy (ONP) due to internal carotid-posterior communicating artery (PcomA) aneurysm generally manifests as partial nerve palsy including pupillary dysfunction. In contrast, infundibular dilatation (ID) of the PcomA has no pathogenic significance, and mechanical compression of the cranial nerve is extremely rare. We describe a 60-year-old woman who presented with progressive ptosis due to mechanical compression of the oculomotor nerve by an ID of the PcomA. Three-dimensional computer graphics (3DCG) accurately visualized the mechanical compression by the ID, and her ptosis was improved after clipping of the ID. ID of the PcomA may cause ONP by mechanical compression and is treatable surgically. 3DCG are effective for the diagnosis and preoperative simulation.     

Rate of Thrombus Accumulation on Intravenacaval IVOX Devices Explanted from Human Clinical Trial Patients with Acute Respiratory Failure

Abstract: The weight gain of IVOX devices removed from the first 49 human clinical trials patients after from 1 to 29 days of implantation into the venae caval blood stream has been assessed. Each patient had received sufficient systemic heparin to maintain activated clotting times between 150 and 200 s while the IVOX device was indwelling. The nature of the material accumulating on the IVOX device was documented histologically as being thrombus in various stages of development. The weight gain findings indicate that an average of 2. 0 g of thrombus accumulates per 24 h on IVOX devices indwelling in the venous blood stream of moderately anticoagulated human acute respiratory failure patients. The rate of weight gain per 24 h of the IVOX device was more rapid during the first 96 h after its implantation than during its second, third, or fourth week of implantation. The accumulated thrombus on the IVOX hollow fibers was associated with a small but measurable decrease (˜ 1%/day) in gas transfer efficiency of the implanted device. The data support the conclusion that IVOX can function effectively and safely without major thrombus formation for up to 29 days in moderately anticoagulated human acute respiratory failure patients.