Colonic carcinoma: clinicopathological correlation with immunoreactivity.

The relation between tumour spread, histological differentiation, and in-vitro antitumour immunoreactivity was studied in 132 cases of carcinoma of the large bowel. Positive correlations were found between blood lymphocyte antitumour cytotoxicity and both tumour differentiation and absence of recurrence or metastatic spread.     

Isolation of paraquat-resistant mutants of Escherichia coli: lack of correlation between resistance and the activity of superoxide dismutase

Abstract Paraquat-resistant Escherichia coli mutants were isolated. The mutants were 10- to 50-fold more resistant to paraquat than the wild type. The wild type was more responsive to the presence of paraquat by inducing higher levels of the manganese-containing superoxide dismutase (MnSOD). Thus, in minimal medium, 0.1 mM paraquat caused a 5-fold increase in MnSOD in the wild type while it had no effect on the level of MnSOD in the mutants. Yet, 50 mM paraquat exerted a dramatic induction of SOD in the mutant strains when grown in trypticase soy yeast extract (TSY) medium. In TSY medium, catalase was not significantly affected by paraquat in all the strains tested. Resistance to paraquat in these mutant strains is, therefore, unrelated to their capacity to detoxify superoxide or hydrogen peroxide.     

A radioimmunoassay for human insulin receptor correlation between insulin binding and receptor mass.

We have developed a radioimmunoassay for human insulin receptor. Serum from a patient with Type B severe insulin resistance was used as anti-insulin receptor antiserum. Pure human placental insulin receptor was used as reference preparation and 125I labeled pure insulin receptor as trace. The radioimmunoassay was sensitive (limit of detection less than 17 fmol), reproducible (inter and intra-assay coefficients of variation 12.5% and 1.6% respectively) and specific (no crossreactivity with pure placental IGF-1 receptor, insulin and glucagon). The anti-insulin receptor antibody was, however, able to differentiate between insulin receptor from human placenta and from rat liver. To determine the number of insulin binding sites per receptor, we measured insulin binding (by insulin binding assay) and insulin receptor mass (by radioimmunoassay) in solubilized aliquots from 5 human placentas. The molar ratio of insulin binding to receptor mass was 0.86 +/- 0.12 when binding was determined with monoiodinated 125I-Tyr A 14-insulin. It was 1.94 +/- 0.27 when randomly iodinated 125I-insulin was used. In conclusion, using a sensitive, reproducible and specific radioimmunoassay, we have measured insulin receptor mass independent of insulin binding. Our data are most compatible with binding of one insulin molecule per human placental insulin receptor.     

Non-mutagenic nitroheterocycles. The lack of correlation between bacterial mutagenicity and one-electron reduction potential

The bacterial mutagenicity (Ames test) and the one-electron reduction potential for several nitropyridines, nitropyrazines and nitropyrimidines were determined. It was found that, although these nitroheterocycles underwent one-electron reduction more easily than metronidazole, they were not mutagenic in the Ames test. Six-membered ring nitroheterocycles, will, in general, exhibit diminished mutagenic potential compared to five-membered ring nitroheterocycles, and it is postulated that this effect is due to differences in the electronic nature and potential chemical reactivity of their respective nitrenium ions.     

A straight correlation between mutagenic activity and beta-galactosidase activity induced by monofunctional alkylating agents.

Eight monofunctional alkylating agents were examined for their ability to induce mutation in Salmonella typhimurium. The assay was carried out in S. typhimurium TA100 with the preincubation method. The SN1-type agents were more mutagenic than the SN2-type ones; besides, methylating agents exerted more mutagenic activity than ethylating ones. Those responses in the reversion assay were quite similar to the results obtained previously with the beta-galactosidase assay in Escherichia coli CSH26/pMCP1000 (alkA'-lacZ') as to the induction of the adaptive response. A good correlation was found between mutagenic potency in the reverse mutation assay and inducing potency in the beta-galactosidase assay.     

Schistosoma mansoni: lack of correlation between praziquantel-induced intra-worm calcium influx and parasite death

The schistosomicidal activity of praziquantel (PZQ) is accompanied by a large influx of calcium into the worms, suggesting that this phenomenon could be the source of the observed muscular contraction, surface disruption and eventual death of the parasite. We have incubated live adult schistosomes in a medium containing radioactive calcium and we were able to confirm that PZQ does indeed stimulate calcium entry into the parasite. An even higher calcium uptake, however, occurred in schistosomes exposed to PZQ after pre-incubation with cytochalasin D, a condition that suppresses PZQ schistosomicidal effects and allows the complete survival of the parasites. The calcium blockers nicardipine and nifedipine also failed to prevent the calcium influx induced by PZQ. Similarly, a large calcium influx occurred in 28-day-old worms exposed to PZQ, in spite of the fact that these immature worms are largely insensitive to the schistosomicidal effects of the drug. Schistosomes incubated overnight with radioactive calcium and PZQ and then returned to normal medium, retained a calcium content higher than worms pre-incubated with cytochalasin D, but the difference could be a consequence—rather than a cause—of schistosomicidal effects. These results suggest that calcium accumulation by itself, at least as measured in whole parasites maintained in vitro, may not represent an exhaustive explanation for the schistosomicidal effects of PZQ.     

B-ETA-Endorphin immunoreactivity in rat and human blood: radioimmunoassay, comparative levels and physiological alterations.

Antiserum against human β-Endorphin (β_hEP) has been obtained from rabbit. The antiserum, diluted $\text{1}\text{1500}$ bound I¹²⁵ β_h-EP, demonstrating an effective range from 10pM to 10nM. The sensitivity of the assay is 2–3 fmoles. This antibody exhibits 10–15% cross-reactivity with human β-Lipotropin (β_h-LPH). β-EP-like immunoreactivity in rat blood has been detected in unextracted samples when compared to blood from hypophysectomized rats. The whole assay and calibration curves are carried out in plasma from hypophysectomized animals. β-EP-like immunoreactivity can be detected in normal rat plasma (75 ± 15 fmole/ml), and exhibits substantial increases with adrenalectomy (287 ± 32 fmoles/ml). In contrast, samples from five healthy normal human males gave values near the limits of detection of the assay (12 fmoles ± 3.9 per ml of plasma). Such values may be due to cross-reactivity of the antiserum with β_h-LPH or other circulating hormones. In contrast, patients with elevated ACTH production and normal pregnant humans exhibit significantly elevated levels of β-EP immunoreactivity in plasma.     

Simple downshift and resulting lack of correlation between ppGpp pool size and ribonucleic acid accumulation.

The growth rate of Escherichia coli can be limited by the availability of carbon and energy. To impose such a limitation, alpha-methylglucoside (alpha MG), a non-metabolizable analogue, can be used to decrease uptake of glucose by competition for the transport of this sugar. Varying the ratio of glucose to alphaMG allowed shifts in growth rate without simultaneous qualitative changes in the growth medium and permitted examination of the immediate changes accompanying such shifts. Stringent (rel+) as well as relaxed (rel minus) strains were able to rapidly curtail their accumulation of ribonculeic acid (RNA) after a downshift imposed by decreasing glucose transport into the cell. Guanosine 5'-diphosphate 3'-diphosphate (ppGpp) accumulated in both rel+ and rel minus strains after a degrease in growth rate. However, the accumulation of ppGpp in relaxed derivatives was very slow, and there was no direct or obligatory correlation between the level of ppGpp and the rate of RNA accumulation. This latter conclusion is supported by measurements of ppGpp levels and rates of RNA accumulation after restoration of maximal growth rates by addition of excess glucose.     

beta-Endorphin: deletion of a single amino acid residue abolishes immunoreactivity but retains opiate potency.

Two synthetic analogs of camel β-endorphin, one with omission of Leu-14 and the other with omission of Asn-20, have been assayed for immunoreactivity by radioimmunoassay, opiate activity in the guinea pig ileum preparation and analgesic potency in mice. It was found that the omission analogs had no immunoreactivity, but retained significant biological activities. As far as we are aware, this is the first instance in which deletion of a single amino acid residue in a biologically active peptide abolished immunoreactivity.     

Insulin and glucagon immunoreactivity during high-intensity exercise under opiate blockade

Eight fit men [maximum oxygen consumption (O_2max) 64.6 (1.9) ml · kg⁻¹ · min⁻¹, aged 28.3 (1.7) years (SE in parentheses) were studied during two treadmill exercise trials to determine the effect of endogenous opioids on insulin and glucagon immunoreactivity during intense exercise (80% O_2max). A double-blind experimental design was used with subjects undertaking the two exercise trials in counterbalanced order. Exercise trials were 20 min in duration and were conducted 7 days apart. One exercise trial was undertaken following administration of naloxone (N; 1.2 mg; 3 ml) and the other after receiving a placebo (P; 0.9% NaCl saline; 3 ml). Prior to each experimental trial a flexible catheter was placed into an antecubital vein and baseline blood samples were collected. Immediately after, each subject received either a N or P bolus injection. Blood samples were also collected after 20 min of continuous exercise (running). Glucagon was higher (P < 0.05), while insulin was lower (P < 0.05), during exercise compared with pre-exercise values in both trials. However, glucagon was higher (P < 0.05) in the P than in the N exercise trial [141.4 (8.3) ng · l⁻¹ vs 127.2 (7.6) ng · l⁻¹]. There were no differences in insulin during exercise between the P and N trials [50.2 (4.3) pmol · l⁻¹ vs 43.8 (5) pmol · l⁻¹]. These data suggest that endogenous opioids may augment the glucagon response during intense exercise. Accepted: 15 June 1996     

Prostaglandin activity in human cutaneous inflammation: Detection by radioimmunoassay

A prostaglandin-specific radioimmunoassay capable of detecting 10 pg of PGE₂ is described. Using this assay we were able to demonstrate prostaglandin activity in dermal perfusates from five of eight patients with contact dermatitis and in blister fluid from four volunteers with contact dermatitis and four volunteers with cantharidin blisters. The prostaglandin activity had a definite time relationship to inflammatory activity of the skin. Dermal perfusates from normal skin or psoriatic skin and blister fluid from noninflammatory (suction) blisters were without activity. The data suggest that prostaglandins may be a common denominator in cutaneous inflammation.     

Influence of inactivation of trypsin on immunoreactivity and serum immunoreactive trypsin concentration measured by radioimmunoassay

The influences of various active site-specific reagents of trypsin and protease inhibitors on the immunoreactivity of trypsin and serum trypsin concentration have been studied by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The RIA using inactivated 125I-trypsin as tracer showed lower Bo/T than the RIA using active 125I-trypsin, but the coefficient of variance of the former was smaller than that of the latter. Normal serum trypsin concentrations were 26.12-36.38 ng/ml with the RIA using inactivated 125I-trypsin as antigen tracer, and 201.15 ng/ml with the RIA using active 125I-trypsin as tracer. The recovery experiment showed that the difference was due to the interaction of serum protease inhibitors and labeled active trypsin.     

Inhibition of vascular NADH/NADPH oxidase activity by thiol reagents: lack of correlation with cellular glutathione redox status

Vascular NAD(P)H oxidase activity contributes to oxidative stress. Thiol oxidants inhibit leukocyte NADPH oxidase. To assess the role of reactive thiols on vascular oxidase, rabbit iliac/carotid artery homogenates were incubated with distinct thiol reagents. NAD(P)H-driven enzyme activity, assessed by lucigenin (5 or 250 microM) luminescence, was nearly completely (> 97%) inhibited by the oxidant diamide (1mM) or the alkylator p-chloromercuryphenylsulfonate (pCMPS, 0.5mM). Analogous inhibition was also shown with EPR spectroscopy using DMPO as a spin trap. The oxidant dithionitrobenzoic acid (0.5mM) inhibited NADPH-driven signals by 92% but had no effect on NADH-driven signals. In contrast, the vicinal dithiol ligand phenylarsine oxide (PAO, 1 microM) induced minor nonsignificant inhibition of NADPH-driven activity, but significant stimulation of NADH-triggered signals. The alkylator N-ethyl maleimide (NEM, 0.5mM) or glutathione disulfide (GSSG, 3mM) had no effect with each substrate. Coincubation of N-acetylcysteine (NAC, 3mM) with diamide or pCMPS reversed their inhibitory effects by 30-60%, whereas NAC alone inhibited the oxidase by 52%. Incubation of intact arterial rings with the above reagents disclosed similar results, except that PAO became inhibitor and NAC stimulator of NADH-driven signals. Notably, the cell-impermeant reagent pCMPS was also inhibitory in whole rings, suggesting that reactive thiol(s) affecting oxidase activity are highly accessible. Since lack of oxidase inhibition by NEM or GSSG occurred despite significant cellular glutathione depletion, change in intracellular redox status is not sufficient to account for oxidase inhibition. Moreover, the observed differences between NADPH and NADH-driven oxidase activity point to complex or multiple enzyme forms.     

A lack of correlation between the biological activity and rate of metabolism of ent-(3H)-17-kaurenoic acid by seedlings of dwarf rice cv. Tan-ginbozu

Significant leaf sheath elongation occurred within 24 hr afterapplication of 10 µg (0.67, µCi) of ent-(³H)-17-kaurenoicacid (KA) to individual seedlings of dwarf rice cv. Tan-ginbozu,but this growth was unaccompanied by production of significantlevels of radioactivity in more polar, acidic, ethyl acetate-solublemetabolites of (³H)-KA. However modest levels of radioactivityappeared in the highly water-soluble fraction by hour 24, subsequentto the most rapid phase of KA-induced growth. Growth continuedand by hour 48 was accompanied by the appearance of small amountsof radioactivity in polar, acidic products. It would appearthat KA per se, and not its metabolic products, may be responsiblefor the leaf sheath elongation noted at hour 24. On the speculation that it might be a metabolite of KA, gibberellinA₁₄ (GA₁₄) was applied simultaneously with (³H)-KA to individualrice seedlings. Several changes in the metabolism of ³H-KA inthe presence of GA₁₄ were noted, and GA₁₄ antagonized the KA-inducedsheath elongation. ¹Present address: Botany Department, Rhodes University, Grahamstown,6140, South Africa. ²Present address: Crop Science Department, University of Saskatchewan,Saskatoon, Sask. S7N OWO, Canada. (Received May 12, 1975; )     

Beta-Endorphin. Synthesis and properties of double-headed and related analogs

A double-headed analog of human beta-endorphin (betah-EP), N,N'-bis (beta-endorphinyl)-cystine (II), has been synthesized by the solid-phase method, along with betah-EP-Cys(CH2CONH2)-OH (I) and [Tyr31]-betah-EP (III). Their relative potencies in a radioreceptor-binding assay were: betah-EP, 100; II, 235; I, 170; and III, 204. In the tail-flick test for analgesic activity their relative potencies were: betah-EP, 100; II, 86; I, 93; and III, 116.     

Problems connected with plasma renin activity measurements by angiotensin I radioimmunoassay.

The main application of the radioimmunoassay for angiotensin I is the measurement of plasma renin activity (PRA). Methods published for the measurement of PRA differ in many details and make the comparison of results difficult. This paper deals with some of the problems. 1. The radioactive labelling of angiotensin I using chloramine-T requires the purification of the labelled peptide. A method applying both anion exchange chromatography and gel filtration is described. It resulted in tracer angiotensins of very reproducible characteristics. 2. For the measurement of PRA, the pH of the plasma has to be adjusted prior to the incubation. The adjustment to the physiologic pH of 7.4 is recommended. 0.1 volume of a concentrated buffer controlled the pH during a three hours incubation without diluting the plasma too much. 3. At pH 7.4, EDTA, dimercaprol, and 8-hydroxyquinoline were found to inhibit converting enzyme and angiotensinases better than EDTA and DFP and should therefore be used as inhibiting agents. 4. Nonspecific cross reaction of antisera are the cause of the blank values when angiotensin I is measured in unextracted plasma. The problem of subtraction of a blank may be minimized by the selection of an antiserum of high specificity which shows no or only little nonspecific cross reaction. Lor or unmeasurable blank values will result.     

Molecular basis for a lack of correlation between viral fitness and cell killing capacity

The relationship between parasite fitness and virulence has been the object of experimental and theoretical studies often with conflicting conclusions. Here, we provide direct experimental evidence that viral fitness and virulence, both measured in the same biological environment provided by host cells in culture, can be two unrelated traits. A biological clone of foot-and-mouth disease virus acquired high fitness and virulence (cell killing capacity) upon large population passages in cell culture. However, subsequent plaque-to-plaque transfers resulted in profound fitness loss, but only a minimal decrease of virulence. While fitness-decreasing mutations have been mapped throughout the genome, virulence determinants-studied here with mutant and chimeric viruses-were multigenic, but concentrated on some genomic regions. Therefore, we propose a model in which viral virulence is more robust to mutation than viral fitness. As a consequence, depending on the passage regime, viral fitness and virulence can follow different evolutionary trajectories. This lack of correlation is relevant to current models of attenuation and virulence in that virus de-adaptation need not entail a decrease of virulence.