Relative numbers of several types of synaptic connections in the substantia gelatinosa of the cat spinal cord

The relative numbers of axo-dendritic, axo-axonic, dendroaxonic and dendro-dendritic synapses were determined by classifying and recording all such specialized contacts in sample areas of the substantia gelatinosa. The samples were taken from segments L1-L5 of the cat spinal cord. In the glomerular complexes 97% of all synapses were recorded as axon-dendritic. In substantia gelatinosa deprived of glomerular complexes by dorsal root section, 96.5% were axo-dendritic. The remainders were about equally divided between axo-amonic, dendro-dendritic and dendro-axonic synapses.     

Active immunization against spontaneous tumors in mice

The incidence of spontaneous tumors was studied in a group of 136 female mice and in another group of 138 females after a sublethal dose of total body irradiation. Of the nonirradiated mice 10.2% developed mammary tumors, and 8% developed lung tumors. Of the irradiated mice 19.5% developed mammary tumors, 21.7% ovary tumors, 24.5% lung tumors, and 7.9% tumors in other organs. A vaccine was prepared for only mammary and ovary tumors through an original technique. The results showed a significantly lower incidence of tumors in another two groups of mice that were immunized: in 80 nonirradiated vaccinated female mice, mammary tumors decreased from 10.2% to 2.5%, and in 78 irradiated and vaccinated female mice, mammary tumors decreased from 19.5% to 8.9% and ovary tumors from 21.7% to 3.8%. Lung tumors also decreased in the latter group, suggesting a common factor protecting the immunized mice.     

Effect of zexbrevins A and B. two new sesquiterpene lactones,on the immune response of mice

Two newly described sesquiterpene lactones, Zexbrevin A and Zexbrevin B, were administered to mice at microgram doses before a single immunizing dose of sheep red blood cells (SRBC), bovine serum albumin (BSA), or Egg albumin (Ea). It was found out that drug treated and immunized animals displayed high numbers of specific spleen rosette forming cells (RFC), as well as elevated titers of circulating antibodies, as compared with mice stimulated solely with antigens. 500 μg of Zexbrevin A and Zexbrevin B was about the best dose for rosette increase; 700 μg or lesser amounts of both drugs induced a decline in the rosette numbers. It was evident that Zexbrevins has to be administered 48 hours before antigen stimulation; no potentiation was obtained if the drugs were given 3 to 11 days before the antigen. No effect was obtained, as well, when mice were treated with drug and antigen on the same day. In the presence of Zexbrevins the radioactive thymidine uptake of cultured normal mouse spleen cells will not increase above controls, indicating that mitogenic effects appear not to be involved in the potentiation. It is concluded that the sesquiterpene lactones exert in mice a potent stimulation of the in vivo response.     

Prognostic value of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGRF) and p53 in advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with induction chemotherapy

We measured the expression of the p53 nuclear protein and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in 46 biopsy samples from patients with advanced head and neck cancer treated with induction combination chemotherapy of 5-fluorouracil, cisplatin, and paclitaxel. Tumour expression of p53 protein was analysed with the monoclonal D07 antibody and EGFR with monoclonal H11 antibody. The overall response, defined as complete (CR) and partial response (PR) rates to treatment, was 88%. p53 positive staining was significantly more frequent in patients who did not respond to the induction treatment. EGFR expression failed to show any correlation with the response rate. Multivariate analysis indicated that a tumour location in the oral cavity together with p53 expression combined with moderate-to-high EGFR staining were independent prognostic factors of a shorter disease-free survival (DFS). Location of the tumour in the oral cavity and EGFR expression had independent prognostic value for overall survival (OS). We conclude that the EGFR status and an oral cavity location of the tumour have independent prognostic value in patients with advanced head and neck carcinoma treated with induction chemotherapy. The p53 status appears to be a determinant of the tumour chemo-sensitivity in advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The presence in the tumour of a p53-positive stain and moderate-to-high staining of EGFR is associated with a shorter DFS and time to treatment failure (TTF) probably reflecting a more aggressive tumour phenotype.     

Differential proteomic serum pattern of low molecular weight proteins expressed by adenocarcinoma lung cancer patients

Based on the assumption that proteins can emanate from tumour to serum, we investigated whether serum low molecular weight proteins (LMW) can discriminate lung cancer patients from healthy donors. Pooled sera from 20 lung cancer patients matched in sex (men), histological type (adenocarcinoma) and stage (IIIB and IV) and from 20 healthy donors (men) were submitted to 2-DE coupled to MALDI-TOF peptide mass fingerprinting. Results of 2D-E/ MALDI-TOF showed five up regulated proteins (immunoglobulin lambda chain, transthyretin monomer, haptoglobin-alfa 2 and two isoforms of serum amyloid protein) and one down regulated (fragment of apolipoprotein A-I) in patients. All differentially expressed proteins, except immunoglobulin, may be acting as a non-specific sign of inflammation in cancer and transthyretin monomer may act as a possible blood marker to CSF barrier disruption that occurs, e.g., in cerebral metastasis. In conclusion, this work shows the usefulness of 2D-gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry proteomic techniques for the identification of up- and down-regulated proteins in serum from adenocarcinoma lung cancer patients.     

Management of paranasal sinus malignancy

Opinion statement Malignancies of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses represent a wide spectrum of histologies, tissues of origin, and anatomic primary sites. The inherent difficulty in generalizing treatment approaches is obvious, given the numerous variables associated with the broadly-based term, paranasal sinus malignancy (PNSCa). Nevertheless, the majority of epithelial and salivary malignancies of this region (ie, squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma, and esthesioneuroblastoma) require surgical intervention as part of any treatment regimen. Recent trends have broadened the indications for chemotherapeutic and radiotherapeutic options in the management of advanced PNSCa. Nonepithelial malignancies, including the wide variety of sarcomas arising in this region, most commonly require multimodality treatment including chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgery for definitive treatment. Moreover, the proximity of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses to structures including the orbit, dura, brain, cranial nerves, and carotid arteries mandates careful radiologic and neurologic evaluations throughout the course of the disease. Surgical advances now permit complex tumor removal and reconstruction surrounding these structures resulting in functional and cosmetic improvements when compared to earlier techniques. However, additional clinical trials are necessary to systematically evaluate the locoregional control, organ-preservation strategies, and survival related to the variety of treatments currently available.     

Nicotine pretreatment diminished physostigmine-induced tremor in rats

The aim of this work was evaluate the effects of acute and chronic nicotine pretreatment in the physostigmine-induced tremor in rats. Wistar male rats (3-4 months) were pretreated acutely with different nicotine doses (0, 0.1, 0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg) 10 min before physostigmine (0 and 0.5 mg/kg) treatment and then the tremor was registered by computerized system for 10 min. In another group, rats were pretreated acutely with 0.1 mg/kg of nicotine, recovered at different times (30 or 70 min), and were registered for physostigmine-induced tremor. Nicotine was also used chronically with equal doses for 8 days and recovered at 2, 7 or 21 days before registration of physostigmine-induced tremor. Tremor spectral analysis was performed for amplitude and frequency quantification. Our data show that the acute and chronic nicotine pretreatments alter physostigmine spectrum profile. Nicotine decreased physostigmine-induced tremor amplitude (p<0.05), without changing its tremor frequency. In acutely pretreated rats, recovery experiments showed return of physostigmine-induced tremor for control levels after 70 min, but after 8 days of chronic nicotine pretreatment recovery was delayed 3 weeks. The data analysis shows that acute or chronic nicotine administration can alleviate the physostigmine-induced tremor. Chronic nicotine pretreatment has a long tremor alleviation effect of physostigmine-induced tremor. Possible mechanisms involving the nicotine effects on the physostigmine-induced tremor are discussed.