Raf-1 kinase,epidermal growth factor receptors,and mutant ras proteins in colonic carcinomas

Epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) andras mutations are known to play a significant role in controlling cell growth and tumor promotion. Both of them transmit mitogenic signals to the nucleus by activation of Raf-1 kinase. In this study, the expression of EGFR and mutant Ras proteins, and, for the first time, the expression, phosphorylation and kinase activity of Raf-1 kinase have been determined in paired samples of colorectal cancer and mucosa. The tumor and mucosa samples did not differ significantly with regard to Raf-1 kinase content and activity. A major difference between tumors and mucosa was found, however, in the phosphorylation of Raf-1. Most of the mucosa samples (13/20), but only 1/20 of the cancer samples, contained hyperphosphorylated Raf-1. EGFR were significantly (p=0.0025) decreased in the tumors. The decreased phosphorylation of Raf-1 in colonic carcinomas could be the result of activation of Raf-1 phosphatases or inactivation of kinases phosphorylating Raf-1. New forms of treatment based on EGFR overexpression do not seem to be suitable for the majority of colonic cancers.This work was supported by the state of Baden-Württemberg (Verbundforschungsprojekt: Aufklärung von Mechanismen der Tumorentstehung und Tumorabwehr).     

C2H2-171 : A novel human cDNA representing a developmentally regulated poz domain/zinc finger protein preferentially expressed in brain

We describe a novel human zinc finger cNDA, C2H2-171. This cDNA represents an mRNA which encodes a protein of 484 amino acids and a calculated molecular weight of 54 kD. Four zinc finger-like domains are found in the C-terminal end of the protein. At the N-terminus, C2H2-171 contains a POZ/tramtrack-like domain similar to that found in the tumor associated zinc finger proteins LAZ-3/BCL-6 and PLZ-F, as well as in non-zinc finger proteins. C2H2-171 RNA is preferentially expressed in the brain, and increases during the course of murine development, with maximal expression in the adult. C2H2-171 RNA is differentially expressed in brain regions, with the highest level of expression in the cerebellum. C2H2-171 RNA was expressed at high levels in primary cerebellar granule cell neurons compared to astrocytes. The gene encoding C2H2-171 is highly conserved in vertebrates, and maps to the terminus of human chromosome 1 (1q44-ter). This chromosomal location is associated with a number of cytogenetic aberrations including those involving brain developmental anomalies and tumorigenesis. These data suggest that C2H2-171 may play an important role in vertebrate brain development and function.     

Role of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor as adjunct therapy for septicemia in children with acute leukemia

The granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been shown to accelerate recovery from severe neutropenia and to decrease the incidence of documented infections after intensive chemotherapy in cancer patients. However, the routine prophylactic use of G-CSF is expensive. This study was conducted to determine the role of G-CSF as adjunct therapy for septicemia following neutropenia caused by chemotherapy in children with acute leukemia. Fifty consecutive episodes of septicemia were studied involving 34 episodes of Gram-negative, 7 episodes of Gram-positive, 5 episodes of polymicrobial bacterial septicemia, one episode of fungemia, and 3 episodes of disseminated fungal infection. In the first 25 episodes, G-CSF was not used (group A). For the next 16 episodes, G-CSF 200 μg per square meter per day subcutaneously was given immediately after the septicemia was documented until the absolute neutrophil count was maintained at more than 1,500 per cubic millimeter (group B). Thereafter, G-CSF at the same dose as that of group B was prophylactically used in all the children who received high-dose cytosine arablnc-side-containing regimens. Nine episodes of septicemia occurred (group C). The incidences of mortality per episode of septicemia in groups A, B, and C were 12.0% (3/25), 12.5% (2/16) and 0% (0/9), respectively. Statistically, there was no difference between the three groups overall and in pair-wise comparisons (all P > 0.5). The durations of G-CSF administration in group B ranged from 6 to 26 days with a median of 12 days and the durations of G-CSF administration in group C ranged from 10 to 23 days with a median of 19 days. With or without G-CSF, there may be no significant difference in the mortality of septicemia following neutropenia caused by chemotherapy in children with acute leukemia.     

磺化聚乙烯中空纤维膜渗透蒸发分离水／乙二醇混合物的研究

采用异相氯磺化的方法，使聚乙烯（ＰＥ）中空纤维膜进行氯磺化反应，并将反应产物进一步水解和离子交换，可获得具有离子交换功能的磺化聚乙烯（ＳＰＥ）中空纤维离子交换膜。应用渗透蒸发膜分离方法，研究磺化聚乙烯中空纤维离子交换膜对水／乙二醇混合物的分离效果。讨论了反离子的种类、渗透蒸发分离温度和水／乙二醇混合液的组成等对磺化聚乙烯中空纤维离子交换膜的分离效果的影响。     

重组人表皮生长因子对胬肉切除-羊膜移植后眼表上皮愈合速度的影响

目的观察重组人表皮生因子(rhEGF)对眼表上皮修复的影响及羊膜移植治疗翼状肉的疗效。方法对36例患者40眼的翼状肉施行肉切除－羊膜移植术,术后随机分为(rhEF治疗组(20眼)和药物赋型剂对照组(20眼),分别观察两组角膜上皮愈合速度和结膜上皮覆盖羊膜植片的愈合速度,对全部患者随访3-12个月。结果rhEGF治疗组术后角膜上皮愈合速度[(74983±1998)μm/h]显著高于对照组[(59372±17.197)μm/hP＜0.01];rhEGF治疗组结膜上皮愈合速度[(36.584±7.888)μm/h显著高于对照组[(29．181±5.450) μmh,P＜0.01]。随访全部病例未见复发,结论rhEGF可有效促进眼表上皮的损伤修复,羊膜移植为治疗翼状肉的较好方法。     

福建省部分县市健康人群发铬调查

本文用气相色谱法对居住福州、长乐、宁化三个地区270名健康人群发铬含量进行调查。结果表明:福州地区发铬值高于其它两地区,并有非常显著性差异。总体发铬算术平均数与国内外部分地区所报导的结果比较接近,但在性别及年龄间差异不明显。对三个地区发铬值与当地土壤铬含量进行相关分析,r=0.9978,二者呈正相关,并有非常显著性意义。     

Effect of exercise on plasma atrial natriuretic factor and cardiac function in men and women

In order to provide an integrated view of the physiology of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) during exercise, we studied changes of its plasma concentrations in 13 normal subjects (seven males, six females) during three graded exercise levels and two periods of recovery (5 and 30 min), concomitantly with an assessment of cardiac function and ventricular volumes by multigated radionuclide angiography. Mean ANF levels (+/- SEM) increased in all patients at the second (P less than 0.002) and third (P less than 0.002) exercise levels, and after 5-min recovery (P less than 0.01): in males from 16 +/- 7 to 30 +/- 11 pg ml-1 at the third level, in females from 27 +/- 12 to 61 +/- 33 pg ml-1. Normal values were observed after 30-min recovery. Even if mean ANF levels were all higher in females, this difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.06). Significant decreases of ventricular volumes, as well as increases of ejection fraction and rate pressure product, were noted during exercise and were similar in both sexes. The kinetics of plasma ANF concentrations, compared with the increase of rate pressure product, was characterized by a latency and a remanence in recovery. This remanence, also present in the changes of ventricular volumes, supports the hypothesis that other factor(s) like catecholamines might still exert their influence after the exercise stops.     

Studies on the optimal conditions for inactivation of Bordetella pertussis organisms with glutaraldehyde for preparation of a safe and potent pertussis vaccine

The optimal conditions for inactivation of Bordetella pertussis organisms with glutaraldehyde for the production of a safe and potent whole cell pertussis vaccine were investigated. Two bacterial harvests from B. pertussis strain 10536 were treated with glutaraldehyde, each with 0.025, 0.05 and 0.1% concentrations of glutaraldehyde for 10, 60 and 120 min. The nine types of glutaraldehyde-inactivated pertussis vaccine (GIPV) and conventional heat-inactivated pertussis vaccine (HIPV) preparations made from two bacterial harvests were comparatively evaluated for the mouse weight gain test (MWGT), potency, and the histamine-sensitization (HS) and leucocytosis-promoting-factor (LPF) tests. The minimum period for killing the B. pertussis organisms with glutaraldehyde was>10 min for 0.025%, 10 min for 0.05% and 5 min for 0.1% concentration. The average loss in opacity varied from 5 to 10% for GIPV preparations and was 14% for HIPV preparations. The GIPV preparations except those inactivated with 0.025% glutaraldehyde for 10 min (GIPV-A) were much less toxic than the HIPV preparations in the MWGT. The GIPV-A preparations did not pass the MWGT. The GIPV preparations were also much less toxic in HS and LPF tests than the HIPV preparation. The potency of GIPV preparations inactivated with 0.05% glutaraldehyde for 10 min (GIPV-D) was similar to that of HIPV preparations. The prolonged treatments with glutaraldehyde reduced the potency. The GIPV-D preparation with good potency and less toxicity was found to be inactivated with glutaraldehyde under optimal conditions. All the preparations were innocuous in the abnormal toxicity test.     

大鼠肝细胞Ⅰ，Ⅲ型前胶原基因表达及PDGF的影响

目的观察大鼠肝细胞Ⅰ，Ⅲ型前胶原基因的表达及ＰＤＧＦ对其表达的影响．方法应用原位杂交技术检测分离培养的ＳＤ大鼠肝细胞（ｎ＝３０）内Ⅰ，Ⅲ型前胶原基因的表达．同时观察１０μｇ／Ｌ（ｎ＝３０）和３０μｇ／Ｌ（ｎ＝３０）ＰＤＧＦ促进前胶原基因表达的作用．测定基因表达颗粒总面积占细胞总面积的百分比，并作比较分析．结果无论正常肝细胞或是在两种浓度的ＰＤＧＦ存在时，肝细胞内均可见到Ⅰ，Ⅲ型前胶原基因的表达．正常肝细胞Ⅰ，Ⅲ型前胶原基因表达面积的百分比（％）为７７±１９和７５±２１；加１０μｇ／ＬＰＤＧＦ后为１１５±１９和１１２±１０，而加３０μｇ／Ｌ后为１５２±３４及１８１±２８，且在后者中表达明显增强（Ｐ＜００５及Ｐ＜００１）．结论ＰＤＧＦ在转录水平上促进肝细胞胶原的合成．     

INTERACTION BETWEEN EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR AND ARGININE VASOPRESSIN IN RENAL MEDULLARY MEMBRANES

1. Epidermal growth factor is a potent mitogen that causes natriuresis, diuresis and inhibition of arginine vasopressin-induced water reabsorption. 2. The aim of this study was to determine any interaction between epidermal growth factor and the V1 (vascular) and/or V2 (antidiuretic) arginine vasopressin receptor subtypes. 3. Radioligand binding displacement assays demonstrated that although arginine vasopressin related peptides displaced both radioligands from renal medullary membranes at low concentrations epidermal growth factor displaced neither. 4. Arginine vasopressin V2 receptor second messenger cyclic adenosine monophosphate (CAMP) production was inhibited by epidermal growth factor (IC₅₀ 2 ± 10^?7 mol/L) as was sodium fluoride cAMP production but only at much higher concentrations. 5. Therefore the diuretic effect of epidermal growth factor is not via direct antagonism of arginine vasopressin receptors but seems mediated via inhibition of the V2 second messenger system.