El cultivo celular en la investigación básica del cáncer de mama

Resumen La técnica del cultivo celular es la que ha permitido conocer el comportamientoin vitro de las células cancerosas. En esta revisión pretendemos introducir las peculiaridades básicas del cultivo celular, referido especialmente a líneas cancerosas mamarias, relacionar el origen de las líneas celulares más utilizadas en la investigación de este cáncer, mencionar las técnicas de laboratorio que pueden aplicarse sobre estos cultivos y ejemplificar la utilidad de las mismas, tomando como modelo diversos trabajos que estudian los efectos del factor de crecimiento epidérmico sobre líneas celulares hormonoindependientes de cáncer de mama.      

Helicobacter pylori erradication and its relation to antibiotic resistance and CYP2C19 status]

OBJECTIVE: to assess the efficacy of rabeprazole (RPZ), amoxicillin (Am), and clarithromycin (Cla) (7 vs. 14 days) in the eradication of H. pylori, and to determine the effect of strain-specific antibiotic resistance and host CYP2C19 status. MATERIAL AND METHODS: first, we determined the CYP2C19 status of 100 healthy subjects to establish a sample size for the clinical trial. Then, 59 H. pylori-infected patients were randomized to receive RPZ (20 mg daily) plus Cla (500 mg b.d.) and Am (1,000 mg b.d.) for 7 vs. 14 days. The MIC for Am and Cla were determined using the agar dilution method. The CYP2C19 genotype was determined by the PCR-RFLP method. RESULTS: In the per-protocol analysis (PP) eradication rates were 89.7 and 72% for the 7- and 14-day groups (p = 0.159). In the intention to-treat analysis (ITT) eradication rates were 86.7 and 62.1% in the 7- and 14-day groups, respectively (p = 0.06).None of the strains was resistant to Am, and 4 strains were resistant to Cla: 3 (11.1%) in the 14-day group and 1 (4%) in the 7-day group. Neither strain-specific antibiotic resistance nor host CYP2C19 status influenced eradication rates. CONCLUSIONS: both 7- and 14-day therapies were effective for H. pylori eradication. Strain resistance and CYP2C19 status do not seem to influence eradication rates in the studied population.     

Decrease in penbutolol central response as a cause of changes in its serum protein binding

Penbutolol is a beta-adrenoceptor antagonist that is extensively bound to alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (alpha 1-AGP), a protein that increases in inflammatory diseases thereby binding more drug in such conditions. Changes in serum binding can lead to modifications in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of a drug, therefore, the central effect (as the anticonvulsant response) and brain uptake of penbutolol given intravenously to mice with experimental inflammation have been measured. A significant decrease of the central effect of penbutolol and its brain uptake was seen in diseased when compared with control animals (P less than 0.01). A parallel decrease in free fraction of penbutolol in diseased vs normal animals was detected. These results suggest that there is an increase in serum binding of basic drugs related to increments in alpha 1-AGP concentration, which reduces their central pharmacological effect.     

Contribution to the knowledge of Hysterothylacium aduncum through electrophoresis of the enzymes glucose phosphate isomerase and phosphoglucomutase

A total of 163 Hysterothylacium aduncum specimens, obtained from two gadoids and one percid, were studied by electrophoresis of the enzymes glucose phosphate isomerase and phosphoglucomutase. The two loci deviated significantly from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, both when considering all specimens and when distinguishing the hosts. This could suggest that there is no single species in either case. Received: 16 June 1997 / Accepted: 11 July 1997     

A contribution to the model of biliary infection in rats.

The model of biliary tract infection induced in rats given suspension of E. coli into the bile duct is described. To prevent leakage of microorganisms after the administration, a temporary ligation of the bile duct followed. Contemporary groups of sham-operated and control rats (given saline by intrabiliary injection) were compared to assess the significance of the changes. The effect of biliary infection was concentration dependent. If 0.1 ml of the concentration containing 10(2), 10(3) and 10(6) colony-forming units/ml was injected, the mortality of rats reached 8%, 57% and 65%, respectively within 24 h. Blood and bile cultures from all dead animals grew E. coli. To evaluate the effect of chronic biliary infection, the concentration of 10(2) colony-forming units/ml was used. Serum concentrations of total and conjugated bilirubin, cholesterol and creatinine, activities of S-alanine-aminotransferase, S-aspartate-aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, the count of leucocytes in blood, total body weight with weight of the liver were investigated on days 1, 4 and 12 after the treatment. The results showed: an increase in leucocytes (21 +/- 4.2 10(9)/l, p less than 0.02 vs control animals) on day 4, an augmentation of serum cholesterol on day 1, (2.1 +/- 0.9 mmol/l, p less than 0.02 vs control animals), the presence of E. coli in blood on day 1 and its persistence in the bile on days 1, 4 and 12. Except the bile, all of the other symptoms were reversible by day 12.