Neurologic implications of glomus tumors in the head and neck.

Seventy-six patients with glomus tumors were evaluated. The incidenc- of cranial nerve paralysis in 37 percent and the incidence of intracranial extension is 14.6 percent. Jugular foramen syndrome is associated with 50 percent, and hypoglossal nerve involvement with 75 percent incidence of posterior fossa extension. Horner's syndrome is associated with 50 percent of middle cranial fossa invasion. The incidence of CNS tumor involvement with cranial nerve paralysis (not including VIIth nerve) is 52 percent.     

Genotypic and Phenotypic Analyses of Hepatitis C Virus from Patients Treated with JTK-853 in a Three-Day Monotherapy

JTK-853, a palm site-binding NS5B nonnucleoside polymerase inhibitor, shows antiviral activity in vitro and in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients. Here, we report the results of genotypic and phenotypic analyses of resistant variants in 24 HCV genotype 1-infected patients who received JTK-853 (800, 1,200, or 1,600 mg twice daily or 1,200 mg three times daily) in a 3-day monotherapy. Viral resistance in NS5B was investigated using HCV RNA isolated from serum specimens from the patients. At the end of treatment (EOT) with JTK-853, the amino acid substitutions M414T (methionine [M] in position 414 at baseline was replaced with threonine [T] at EOT), C445R (cysteine [C] in position 445 at baseline was replaced with arginine [R] at EOT), Y448C/H (tyrosine [Y] in position 448 at baseline was replaced with cysteine [C] or histidine [H] at EOT), and L466F (leucine [L] in position 466 at baseline was replaced with phenylalanine [F] at EOT), which are known to be typical resistant variants of nonnucleoside polymerase inhibitors, were observed in a clonal sequencing analysis. These substitutions were also selected by a treatment with JTK-853 in vitro, and the 50% effective concentration of JTK-853 in the M414T-, C445F-, Y448H-, and L466V-harboring replicons attenuated the susceptibility by 44-, 5-, 6-, and 21-fold, respectively, compared with that in the wild-type replicon (Con1). These findings suggest that amino acid substitutions of M414T, C445R, Y448C/H, and L466F are thought to be viral resistance mutations in HCV-infected patients receiving JTK-853 in a 3-day monotherapy.     

Interleukin-2-inducible Killer Activity and Its Regulation by Blood Monocytes from Autologous Lymphocytes of Lung Cancer Patients

The ability of blood lymphocytes of newly diagnosed lung cancer patients to respond to interleukin 2 (IL-2) to become IL-2-activated killer (LAK) cells and its regulation by autologous monocytes were examined. LAK activity was measured by ³¹Cr release assay. The abilities of lymphocytes among blood mononuclear cells (MNC) of subjects of different ages without malignancies to generate LAK activity against NK-cell resistant Daudi cells and lung adenocarcinoma (PC-9) cells were very similar. The LAK activity of blood MNC of lung cancer patients was also nearly the same as that of blood MNC of control subjects. There was no significant difference in IL-2-inducible LAK activity between MNC of patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and those of patients with non-SCLC. Monocytes and lymphocytes were separated from blood MNC on a one-step Percoll gradient. Monocytes of lung cancer patients were found to augment in vitro induction of LAK activity by IL-2 of autologous blood lymphocytes. In contrast, endotoxin-stimulated monocytes suppressed LAK induction of autologous lymphocytes of cancer patients. These findings suggest that administration of IL-2 and LAK cells induced in vitro may be of benefit in the treatment of lung cancer.     

Marmoset lymphoblastoid cells transformed by NPC-KT-derived Epstein-Barr virus which possesses transforming and superinfecting characteristics

New world monkey (cotton-top marmoset; CTM) lymphocytes were transformed by two different strains of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) derived from human nasopharyngeal epithelial/hybrid cells (NPC-KT and A2L/AH). M-KT cells were a CTM lymphoblastoid cell line which was transformed by EBV derived from NPC-KT cells (NPC-KT EBV). M-BA2L cells were a CTM lymphoblastoid cell line which was transformed by EBV derived from A2L/AH cells (A2L/AH EBV). EBV obtained from M-KT cells, like parental NPC-KT EBV, could transform human cord blood lymphocytes (HCBLs) and superinfect Raji cells. EBV obtained from M-BA2L cells, like parental A2L/AH EBV, could transform HCBLs but could not superinfect Raji cells. We have compared the EBV-DNA associated with M-KT cells to NPC-KT EBV-DNA. The results obtained using a DNA restriction enzyme (Hind III) showed that virus DNA prepared from NPC-KT cells is different from EBV-DNA prepared from CTM lymphocytes transformed by EBV derived from infectious mononucleosis (B95-8), but that virus DNA prepared from M-KT cells is identical with parental NPC-KT EBV. These results indicate the possibility that a single NPC-KT EBV is associated with two biological activities.