Production of interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor by bone marrow-derived macrophages: effect of cisplatin and lipopolysaccharide

Mature macrophages derived in vitro from bone marrow progenitors under the influence of either L929 CM (a source of M-CSF) or GM-CSF have been shown to differ morphologically and functionally. Treatment of these bone marrow-derived macrophages with cisplatin or LPS resulted in the expression of enhanced tumoricidal activity and the production of significant amounts of extracellular and membrane-associated IL-1 and TNF. rGM-CSF-derived bone marrow macrophages produced higher amounts of TNF and IL-1 activity than L929CM-derived macrophages. Untreated bone marrow-derived macrophages showed little IL-1 and TNF activity. Bone marrow macrophages cultured with medium alone also did not respond to cisplatin or LPS for the production of IL-1 and TNF. Neutralization studies with anti-IL-1 and anti-TNF antibodies inhibited the IL-1 and TNF activity of bone marrow-derived macrophages. These results suggest that cisplatin or LPS treatment of murine bone marrow-derived macrophages results in increased expression of both released and membrane-associated IL-1 and TNF.     

Ascorbic acid metabolism in rats and guinea pigs after the administration of ethanol

Ascorbic acid metabolism was studied in guinea pigs and rats after the administration of ethanol and a high dose of ascorbic acid (AA). Male guinea pigs were maintained for 30 days as follows: (1) controls (1 mg AA/100 g body wt.); (2) ethanol (1 mg AA/100 g body wt. + 900 mg ethanol/100 g body wt); (3) ascorbic acid (25 mg AA/100 g body wt.); (4) ascorbic acid + ethanol (25 mg AA/100 g body wt. + 900 mg ethanol/100 g body wt.). Rats were also grouped into four groups as in the case of guinea pigs, but the dose of AA was 200 mg/100 g body weight. Rats adjusted to ethanol intoxication by enhancing the biosynthesis of ascorbate as evidenced by elevated activity of L-gulono lactone oxidase (GLO). Hence ascorbate levels were not lowered in rats after administration of alcohol. However, alcohol administration lowered tissue levels of ascorbate in guinea pigs. But the supplementation of ascorbate along with alcohol raised the tissue level of this vitamin. Guinea pigs responded to the ascorbate deficiency during alcohol administration by lowering the degradation of ascorbate, as seen by the lower activity of the degrading enzyme gulono lactone hydrolase. It is concluded that on the administration of alcohol, guinea pigs are dependent upon additional exogenous supplies of ascorbic acid, whereas rats are not.     

cis-Acting packaging motifs of porcine adenovirus type 3

The cis-acting packaging domain is required for selective encapsidation of adenovirus DNA into preformed empty capsids late in the viral life cycle. Earlier, it was demonstrated that the cis-acting packaging domain of porcine adenovirus type (PAdV)-3 is located between nucleotide position (nt) 212 and 531 at the left end genome which contains six AT/GC rich motifs. Removal of packaging domain from left end to the right end of the genome produced a viable mutant virus suggesting that the identified cis-acting packaging domain represents the DNA sequences required for selective packaging of PAdV-3 DNA, whose position and orientation appear to be flexible. Here, by constructing and analyzing a panel of virus mutants carrying deletions or linker scanning mutations in AT/GC rich sequences, we examined the significance of the continuous A/T or G/C sequences individually in the viral packaging process. In contrast to consensus bipartite structure (5'-TTTGN8CG-3') described for most of packaging motifs of human adenovirus type 5 (HAdV-5), the packaging motifs I, II, III, and IV of PAdV-3 displayed a tripartite structure in which the continuous A/T nucleotides were flanked by G/C-rich sequences. Mutations in both continuous A/T nucleotides and its flanking GC-rich sequences reduced the packaging efficiency of mutants to varying degrees. In addition, although the continuous A/T sequences were present in all of the packaging motifs, their significance in the packaging process appears to vary within each packaging motif.     

Rescue ICSI of oocytes that failed to extrude the second polar body 6 h post-insemination in conventional IVF

BACKGROUND: Attempts to 'rescue' by ICSI oocytes that remained unfertilized 24 h after conventional IVF have generally resulted in poor outcomes. The aim of the present study was to compare the outcome of rescue ICSI performed on one group of patients 6 h after initial insemination with those of another group where rescue ICSI was performed 22 h after initial insemination. METHODS: Twenty-five patient IVF cycles provided the oocytes for rescue ICSI 6 h after initial insemination, and 20 cycles provided the oocytes for rescue ICSI 22 h after initial insemination in this retrospective study. Fertilization and cleavage rates, embryo quality, implantation, and pregnancy rates after rescue ICSI were the main outcome measures. RESULTS: A fertilization rate of 70.3% was achieved with 6 h rescue ICSI compared with 48.5% with 22 h rescue ICSI (P < 0.0001). From 6 h rescue ICSI, 12 clinical pregnancies (48.0%) resulted in three sets of twins, eight singletons and one abortion. From 22 h rescue ICSI there was one (5.0%) singleton pregnancy and delivery of a healthy baby. Likewise, the implantation rate was 20.2% from 6 h rescue ICSI compared with 1.72% from 22 h rescue ICSI (P < 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Rescue ICSI after 6 h post-insemination (46 h post-HCG) gave better fertilization, pregnancy and implantation rates compared with rescue ICSI after 22 h when oocytes have become aged.     

Prealbumin in the diagnosis of bronchopulmonary carcinoid tumours.

The reliability of prealbumin as a diagnostic marker was studied in 60 cases of bronchopulmonary carcinoid tumours. There were differences in the incidence of positivity between typical and atypical carcinoids (well differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas). Seventy five per cent of the carcinoid tumours were positive for prealbumin; (86.7% typical and 63.3% atypical carcinoids). In 15 cases, which were Grimelius negative, 10 were prealbumin positive. Only 8.3% carcinoids were negative with both prealbumin and Grimelius stains. Ten squamous, 10 adeno- and 10 small cell carcinomas showed only occasional scattered prealbumin positive cells. It is concluded that prealbumin is a useful marker for bronchopulmonary carcinoid tumours. It is cheap, readily available, and should be considered part of routine diagnostic procedures for the diagnosis of carcinoid tumours.