Positron emission tomography in oncology

Summary. The particular advantages of positron emission tomography (PET) technique are that it has higher sensitivity, higher resolution, and a higher quality of image than that found in conventional nuclear medicine. The possibility of quantification and the wide range of useful tracers have raised expectations of this new method. To date, most of the human PET cancer studies have been performed with [¹⁸F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) or [¹¹CJmethionine. These are good imaging agents for tumours. However, more specific radiopharmaceuticals are required if other features of tumour metabolism are to be observed, f¹¹Thymidine may prove to be a good tracer for quantitative measurements of tumour proliferation and [¹⁸F]misonidazole has been suggested for imaging of hypoxia.     

Synthesis and biological activity of Substance P C-terminal hexapeptide and heptapeptide analogues

The analogues [Glu(OBzl)¹¹]SP_6–11 and [Glu(OBzl)¹¹]SP_5–11 of the C-terminal hexapeptide and heptapeptide of Substance P have been synthesized by conventional solution methods. In each analogue the SCH₃ group of Met¹¹ is replaced by the COOCH₂C₆H₅ group. The in vitro activity of both analogues has been determined on three biological preparations: guinea pig ileum (GPI), rat vas deferens (RVD), and rat portal vein (RPV). The selectivity for the different receptors has been studied by utilizing atropine-treated guinea pig ileum (GPI + At). The results showed that both analogues are mainly active on GPI through the NK-1 receptor and that both analogues are equipotent to Substance P.     

Chemical Pathways of Peptide Degradation. V. Ascorbic Acid Promotes Rather than Inhibits the Oxidation of Methionine to Methionine Sulfoxide in Small Model Peptides

The effect of primary structure and external conditions on the oxidation of methionine to methionine sulfoxide by the ascorbate/Fe³⁺ system was studied in small model peptides. Degradation kinetics and yield of sulfoxide formation were dependent on the concentration of ascorbate and H⁺, with a maximum rate observed at pH 6–7. Phosphate buffer significantly accelerated the peptide degradation compared to Tris, HEPES, and MOPS buffers; however, the formation of sulfoxide was low. The oxidation could not be inhibited by the addition of EDTA. Other side products besides sulfoxide were observed, indicating the existence of various other pathways. The influence of methionine location at the C terminus, at the N terminus, and in the middle of the sequence was investigated. The presence of histidine in the sequence markedly increased the degradation rate as well as the sulfoxide production. The histidine catalysis of methionine oxidation occurred intramolecularly with a maximum enhancement of the oxidation rate and sulfoxide production when one residue was placed between the histidine and the methionine residue.     

Methionine-induced acidosis in the weanling rat

Whole body balances of non-metabolizable base (NB) were studied in weanling rats fed a cereal-based diet with or without added l -methionine. In response to l -methionine loading (2.5 mmol day^-1) the rats exhibited a significant reduction in rates of food intake (109 vs. 160 g per 8 days) and body growth (3 vs. 52 g per 8 days); fractional oxidation of absorbed dietary amino acid sulphur increased from 0.28 to 0.64; and mean urinary sulphate excretion increased from 2.3 to 14.8 mmol per 8 days. Mean rates of renal excretion of NB and filtered titratable organic acid decreased from 20 to ?11 mmol per 8 days and from 22 to 8 mmol per 8 days. Balances of calcium and NB remained at reference values despite a decrease in whole blood ‘base excess’ from ?1.0 to ?6.4 mmol 1–¹. The concentration of NB in plasma rose but slightly. It is concluded that L-methionine loading in the weanling rat leads to extracellular non-carbonic acidosis subject to renal compensation. This acidosis is due not to retention of H⁺ released by ionization of endogenous sulphuric acid but possibly to accumulation of (acid) organic metabolites of methionine which are efficiently conserved by the kidneys. The rise in sulphuric acid production leads to an adaptive decrease in fractional reabsorption of filtered sulphate. Even during inhibited growth, absorbed dietary NB is retained and deposited in the skeleton, probably as calcium carbonate.     

Effect of reduced temperature on glycoprotein (Ig, HLA) processing and transport in lymphoid cells

Secretion of Igs and surface expression of HLA antigens was examined in lymphoid cells as a function of temp. Upon reducing the temp from 37 to 20 degrees C a progressive decrease in the secretion of Ig and surface expression of HLA antigens was noted. When the status of the oligosaccharides present on these glycoproteins was examined, conversion of high-mannose [endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase-(Endo H) sensitive] to complex-type (Endo H resistant) oligosaccharides diminished with decreasing temp. At no time was an accumulation of Endo H resistant glycoproteins seen intracellularly. These results show that the phenomenon observed for synthesis and intracellular transport of viral glycoproteins in epithelial cells at reduced temp, namely intracellular accumulation of viral glycoproteins carrying complex sugar moieties, does not necessarily apply to glycoprotein transport in lymphoid cells. A difference in subcellular organization of epithelial and lymphoid cells may be responsible for this discrepancy.     

Biochemical characterization of I-Ak proteins from mutant antigen-presenting B-cell--B-lymphoma hybridomas

Chemically induced mutants of an I-Ak,d expressing antigen-presenting B-cell--B-lymphoma hybridoma have recently been generated by immunoselection in vitro and were found to possess alterations in some of their serologically and functionally defined I-Ak region dependent functions. In order to identify at the structural level the origin of the differences in serological and functional properties of these mutants, I-Ak molecules from several of these mutant hybridomas were compared biochemically to wild-type I-Ak polypeptides by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and high-pressure liquid chromatographic tryptic peptide analyses. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis indicated that no major structural alterations, resulting in changes in mol. wt or charge, had occurred in the Ak alpha or Ak beta polypeptides from the mutant cells. Likewise, Ak alpha peptide maps of the mutants were indistinguishable from the normal Ak alpha peptide maps. However, two of the three mutants studied did exhibit one additional peptide in their Ak beta peptide maps. These results suggest that the major deficiencies in T-cell-activating functions of these mutants are a result of a limited alteration in the Ak beta polypeptide primary structure.     

Effect of histamine infusion on circulating methionine-enkephalin and catecholamine concentrations

In 5 normal adult men, histamine was infused i.v. for 5 min at 20 micrograms/kg/h and at 80 micrograms/kg/h on two occasions one week apart. Diastolic blood pressure fell and heart rate, plasma adrenaline and noradrenaline all rose in a dose-dependent manner, but plasma methionine-enkephalin (Met-Enk) concentrations were unchanged. These results indicate that while Met-Enk may be co-stored with catecholamines (CAs) in the adrenal medulla in at least this paradigm, circulating concentrations of CAs may be altered without similar changes in plasma Met-Enk immunoreactivity.     

~3H-蛋氨酸/缬氨酸空肠喂饲在荷瘤大鼠体内的分布

目的 :观察3H 蛋氨酸 /缬氨酸空肠喂饲在荷瘤大鼠体内的分布。方法 :SD大鼠空肠造瘘 ,皮下接种Walker 2 5 6癌肉瘤 ,分A、B、C、D 4组。分别以平衡氨基酸、去蛋氨酸、平衡氨基酸、去缬氨酸空肠喂养 6d ,注入3H 蛋氨酸 /缬氨酸 7.4× 10 5Bq 0 .5 ,1,2 ,4h后测定肝、胰、小肠、肌肉、血浆及肿瘤组织的放射性强度 ,计算差示摄取比(DUR)。结果 :B组肿瘤组织 2h ,4hDUR高于A组 ,而血浆DUR各时点低于A组。D组肿瘤组织DUR各时点高于C组 ,而血浆DUR低于C组。结论 :3H 蛋氨酸 /缬氨酸在肿瘤组织摄取率高 ,去蛋氨酸 /缬氨酸空肠喂饲后 ,其摄取率更高。     

高效液相色谱法测定甲硫氨酸维B_1注射液的含量

目的建立5μm高效液相色谱法同时测定甲硫氨酸维B1注射液中两组分的含量。方法用KromasilC18柱(250mm×4.6mm,5μm),流动相为1mmol/L的己烷磺酸钠溶液(含0.2%三乙胺,用50%H3PO4溶液调节pH5.0)-甲醇(85∶15),流速为1.0ml/min,检测波长为228nm。结果甲硫氨酸和维生素B1分别在80~723μg/ml与8.4~75.6μg/ml的浓度范围内呈良好的线性关系(r=0.9998与0.9999),两者的平均回收率RSD分别为(99.3±0.5)%与(99.8±0.7)%(n=9)。结论此法快速简便,有较好的精密度和准确度。