Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay of Pro-gastrin-releasing Peptide for Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients in Comparison with Neuron-specific Enolase Measurement

Our previous study demonstrated that pro-gastrin-releasing peptide(31–98), or ProGRP, is a specific tumor marker in patients with small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC). Using a newly developed, highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for ProGRP, we analyzed 1,446 samples including those obtained from 478 lung cancer patients to evaluate the clinical usefulness of this ELISA. Several properties indicated that ProGRP is a useful tumor marker for SCLC. First, ProGRP was specifically elevated in SCLC patients. In non-SCLC patients and patients with non-tumorous lung diseases, its serum level was very rarely elevated. Secondly, ProGRP was a reliable marker, in terms of the marked elevation of serum ProGRP levels in SCLC patients. Thirdly, serum ProGRP levels were elevated in SCLC patients even at a relatively early stage of this disease. Fourthly, changes in the serum ProGRP level showed an excellent correlation with the therapeutic responses in SCLC patients. Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) is accepted as a tumor marker of SCLC patients. With the aim of comparing ProGRP and NSE as tumor markers for SCLC patients, we measured serum NSE levels in all samples collected in the present study. We found that ProGRP was superior to NSE in terms of sensitivity, specificity and reliability. Therefore, we consider that ProGRP can play a major role as a clinical tumor marker for SCLC patients.     

慢性丙型肝炎患者丙型肝炎病毒核酸与IgM抗体关系的研究

本文检测了１４０例丙型肝炎病毒（ＨＣＶ）抗体（抗－ＨＣＶ）阳性的慢性丙型肝炎（ＣＨＣ）的ＨＣＶ核酸（ＨＣＶＲＮＡ）和ＩｇＭ抗体（抗－ＨＣＶＩｇＭ）两项指标。结果表明，原始诊断为不同临床型的肝炎（ＨＣ）患者，８年随访时，ＨＣＶＲＮＡ和抗－ＨＣＶＩｇＭ阳性率分别为８０．７％和９０．７％（ｕ＝２．３９Ｐ＜０．０５）．在原始诊断不同临床型ＨＣ转慢者中，上述两项指标均未发现统计学上的差别（均为Ｐ＞０．０５）。ＨＣＶＲＮＡ与抗－ＨＣＶＩｇＭ配对比较，符合率为７８．６％。基因分型初步结果表明，河北省固安ＨＣＶ以基因Ⅱ型为主。本研究提示，随访８年的ＣＨＣ患者绝大多数仍有传染性；本文方法检测的抗－ＨＣＶＩｇＭ不能代表早期感染标志，但代表慢性感染活动化或带毒，所以，在不具备检测ＨＣＶＲＮＡ的地方更具有实用价值．     

Astrocyte RNA in relation to neuronal RNA depletion in Alzheimer's disease

Summary A new double-staining procedure, in which the techniques of immunocytochemistry of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and quantitative microdensitometry of azure B-RNA were combined, was used to study nucleic acid alterations in fibrous astrocytes in Alzheimer's disease (AD). RNA contents of GFAP-positive cells of the hippocampal endplate (Rose's H₃-H₅ fields) and the dentate gyrus molecular layer were determined in ten autopsy-proven AD patients (ages 51–88) and ten age-matched, non-demented control. In addition, RNA contents of pyramidal neurons of the endplate were examined. While there were no differences in RNA contents of astrocytes of either region between AD patients and controls, neuronal RNA was markedly depleted. These data suggest that astrocytes maintain protein synthetic capabilities in AD and that RNA loss is limited to the neuronal compartment.Supported by Grants 1P01-AG05119 and 1P50-AG05144 from the National Institutes of Health and by a Small Research Project Award from the University of Kentucky Medical Center     

丙型肝炎患者外周血单核细胞中丙型肝炎病毒复制的研究

９例临床诊断为丙型肝炎患者，研究其外周血单核细胞中ＨＣＶＲＮＡ的存在及复制。９例患者血清标本抗－ＨＣＶ及ＨＣＶＲＮＡ均为阳性，采用高敏感的逆转录一套式ＰＣＲ法测定其外周血单核细胞中ＨＣＶ正、负链ＲＮＡ，结果９例患者外周血单核细胞中７例ＨＣＶ正链ＲＮＡ阳性，３例ＨＣＶ负链ＲＮＡ阳性，证实部分丙肝患者外周血单核细胞中存在ＨＣＶ的复制，表明肝细胞并非为ＨＣＶ感染与复制的唯一场所。     

α-Bungarotoxin blocks the nicotinic receptor mediated increase in cell number in a neuroendocrine cell line

Exposure of H69 small cell lung carcinoma cells to nicotinic agonists resulted in a significant increase (up to 100%) in cell number after 6 to 12 days. The effect of nicotine (10⁻⁸ M to 10⁻⁴ M) was both dose and time dependent as was that of another nicotinic agonist cytisine (10⁻⁶ M to 10⁻⁴ M). Interstingly, both the nicotine and cytisine induced increases in H69 cell number were blocked by α-bungarotoxin, as well as d-tubocurarine a nicotinic blocker which appears to interact with most nicotinic receptors. These results suggest that the nicotine induced increase in cell number is mediated through an interaction at the nicotinic α-bungarotoxin receptor. This idea is further supported by experiments which show (1) that H69 cells possess high affinity α-bungarotoxin sites (K_d = 25 nM, B_max = 10.4 fmol/10⁶ cells) with the characteristics of a nicotinic α-bungarotoxin receptor and (2) that the potencies of nicotinic receptor ligands in the α-bungarotoxin binding assay were similar to those observed in the functional studies. Northern analysis showed that mRNA for α7, a putative nicotinic α-bungarotoxin binding subunit, and for α5 were present in H69 cells. The present data provide further evidence that nicotine increases cell number in small cell lung carcinoma and are the first to show that this effect is mediated through an interaction at the nicotinic α-bungarotoxin receptor population. These results suggest that the α-bungarotoxin site may be involved in modulating proliferative responses in neuroendocrine derived SCLC cells.     

Localization of small intestinal bleeding

The preoperative identification of a bleeding site is not always possible, particularly when bleeding originates in the small intestine. Small vascular abnormalities, such as the telangiectatic lesion described in this report, comprise about 40–60% of such cases. Preoperative location using arteriography, radionuclide bleeding scan, and enteroclysis were nondiagnostic. The lesion was demonstrated by intraoperative endoscopy. A segment of small intestine was resected, and the patient made an uneventful recovery.     

肺部小孤立病灶的鉴别诊断

本文对我院胸外科自1984年至1991年肺部X线片显示孤立病灶,其直径小于或等于3cm的78例住院患者作回顾性分析,提出其常见病种及鉴别诊断要点,对诊断未肯定的病灶是否立即手术要视病灶的良恶性可能性等因素来决定,特别强调医生的临床经验与分析能力对鉴别诊断的作用.     

Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus-1-positive Cell Line Established from a Patient with Small Cell Lung Cancer

A stable cell line, KHM-3S, was established from a patient with small cell lung cancer (SCLC), who had a high serum level of soluble interleukin 2 receptors (sIL2-R) and was seropositive for human T cell leukemia virus (HTLV)-l. KHM-3S cells were positive for IL2-R (Tac) and NKH-1, but negative for other lymphocytic markers such as OKT 11, OKT 4, OKT 8, T cell receptor (WT 31), B 1, and B 4. Moreover, the KHM-3S cells were negative for leukocyte common antigen and strongly positive for neuron-specific enolase (NSE). Secretion of sIL2-R and NSE by the KHM-3S line was detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Rearrangement of the T cell receptor gene and monoclonal HTLV-1 integration were found by Southern blot analysis of KHM-3S DNA. However, Northern blot analysis showed no T cell receptor mRNA. KHM-3S may be useful for studies on the role of HTLV-1 in carcinogenesis and IL2-R expression in SCLC.     

Expression of IGF-I and IGF-II mRNA in breast tissue

Summary Expression of IGF-I and IGF-II was studied in human breast cancer tissues by in situ hybridization. IGF-I mRNA was detected only in stromal cells adjacent to normal breast epithelial cells. Stromal cells associated with the tumor cells did not contain IGF-I, nor did malignant or benign breast epithelial cells. In contrast, IGF-II mRNA was found in both the malignant epithelial cells and their adjacent stromal cells. These data imply that stromal cells associated with breast epithelium may switch expression from IGF-I to IGF-II during breast cancer evolution. This appearance of IGF-II expression may identify cancer-associated stromal cells that have a fetal phenotype.