Selachyl alcohol as an oral antihypertensive agent: a preliminary note

Selachyl alcohol (SA) is a mono-oleyl glyceryl ether. It has certain biologic activities similar to those of the antihypertensive neutral renomedullary lipid (ANRL) derived from the renal papilla and its renomedullary interstitial cells (RIC). These include a vaso-depressor effect following bolus injection and a requirement for hepatic activation for the development of biological activity. In view of this similarity to ANRL, it appeared worthwhile to test the antihypertensive action of SA when given via the GI tract. Accordingly, pure SA was given either by gavage or by tube into the stomach or duodenum of one-kidney, one-clip hypertensive rats (5-10 mg per dose). The role of hepatic activation was demonstrated by comparing the BP response to bolus injection of SA and ANRL with and without the presence of an intact circulation to the liver. Administration of SA via the GI tract resulted in a significant decline in BP without tachycardia or weight loss. In the absence of a circulation to the liver, neither SA nor ANRL was active. SA appears to be an effective antihypertensive agent when given via the GI tract.     

Sentinel surveillance of human immunodeficiency virus infection in women seeking reproductive health services in the United States, 1988-1989. The Field Services Branch.

Cases of AIDS among women of reproductive age have increased dramatically since 1981; nearly a third of all cases among females were reported in 1990 alone. Surveillance of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among women is essential for monitoring the spread of HIV over time and identifying specific populations and geographic areas in need of HIV counseling, testing, and prevention services. Blinded (unlinked) serologic surveys were conducted in the United States and Puerto Rico in sentinel clinics providing reproductive health services to women, including family planning, prenatal care, and abortion services. Seventy-eight of 94 clinics (83%) in 30 cities conducting surveys during 1988 and 1989 detected at least one HIV-positive woman. Clinic-specific prevalence ranged from 0-2.28% (median 0.22%), with rates over 1% occurring in clinics predominantly on the East Coast and in Puerto Rico. Seroprevalence varied by primary type of service, race-ethnicity, and age group. Median rates were higher in clinics offering prenatal services and lower in abortion and family planning clinics in the same cities. In general, women 25-29 years of age showed the highest median rate of infection (0.32%), and rates were higher among black women (median 0.34%) than among Hispanic (median 0.11%) and white women (median 0%). Our data indicate the need to educate women about recognizing and reducing their risk of HIV infection. Reproductive health clinics with high seroprevalence should implement voluntary HIV counseling and testing with appropriate follow-up clinical evaluation and referral for infected women. Clinics with low prevalence should seize the opportunity to enhance HIV education and prevention efforts.     

Treatment of steroid-resistant acute graft-vs-host disease by in vivo administration of an anti-T-cell ricin A chain immunotoxin

The A chain of the toxin ricin has been conjugated by a disulfide bond to a murine monoclonal antibody that recognizes the CD5 (T,p67) antigen present on 95% of peripheral blood T lymphocytes. This immunotoxin was used to treat a patient with severe grade III-IV, steroid-resistant, acute graft-vs-host disease (GvHD) after an allogeneic, human leukocyte antigen-identical bone marrow transplant for acute myelogenous leukemia. Immunotoxin therapy produced a complete clinical response in the skin and gastrointestinal tract. The patient tolerated a 14-day course without symptoms or signs of toxic effects. After two days of therapy, circulating T cells could not be demonstrated by indirect immunofluorescence. After therapy, acute GvHD did not recur. However, seven months after therapy the patient demonstrated mild signs of chronic GvHD that were easily controlled with low-dose immunosuppressive therapy. These findings indicate that an anti-T-cell ricin A chain immunotoxin can be given safely for treatment of acute GvHD and may be an effective therapy for this significant posttransplant complication.     

Persistent Hypotension Associated with Hypermedullipinemia: A New Syndrome

A new syndrome is described in a patient with advanced renal insufficiency. This consists of severe and persistent hypotension causing weakness but associated with a clear mental status. Also present is evidence for decreased vascular reactivity. The hypotension was not orthostatic. The hypotension was associated with a circulating vasodepressor substance having the characteristics of medullipin I. The medullipin appears to have been derived from the remaining right kidney. Hypotension existed despite the presence of major prohypertensive mechanisms, including an endstage kidney, hyperreninemia and hyperaldosteronemia. It is likely that hypotension due to hypermedullipinemia is an entity occurring in the human being.     

Metastatic Behavior and Tumorigenicity of a Human Melanoma Cell Line (MM-RU) after Injection into Nude Mice

The ability of the human amelanotic melanoma cell line MM-RU to produce experimental metastases and to grow tumors at subcutaneous inoculation sites in 4-week-old nude mice was examined. After i.v. inoculation of 10⁶ cells, all injected mice (n=21) developed consistent numbers of metastatic pulmonary colonies within 32 days. The coefficients of variation for the number of colonies were between 17%–23% in three independent experiments. Survival time after i.v. inoculation was 63 ± 7 days (mean ± SD) (n=20). Within 20 days, subcutaneous inoculation of 5 × 10⁶ cells resulted in tumor growths of 13 ± 3 mm (mean ± SD) at the inoculation sites in all nude mice (n=12). The MM-RU cell line seems to be a simple, fast vehicle for testing the effect of melanoma growth modulators on experimental pulmonary metastases as well as on subcutaneously growing melanoma.     

Interleukin 2 (IL2) is assigned to human chromosome 4

The human gene for interleukin 2 (IL2)was assigned to chromosome 4 using human-mouse somatic cell hybrids and Southern filter hybridization of cell hybrid DNA. To identify IL2,a recombinant DNA probe (pIL2-50A) was used which contained a human interleukin 2 cDNA insert which hybridized to a 3.5-kb fragment in human DNA when cleaved with the restriction enzyme EcoRL.