Response of selected fetal organs to antineoplastic agents

This study was designed to quantitate the effects of 5-(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno)-imidazole-4-carboxamide (DIC) and 5-(3,3-bis(2-chlorethyl)-1-triazeno)-imidazole-4-carboxamide (BIC) on growth and selected components of rat fetal organs. Twelve-day pregnant rats were given single intraperitoneal injections of 600 mg/kg of DIC and 900 mg/kg of BIC and autopsied on day 21 of gestation. Fetal liver, brain, kidney, and placenta were removed, weighed, and assayed for total DNA, RNA, and protein. DIC significantly reduced weight, total DNA, RNA, and protein of all four fetal organs as compared to age-matched controls. The brain was most severely affected by this compound. BIC also significantly reduced weight, DNA, RNA, and protein of fetal brain, kidney, and placenta, but in fetal liver only weight and total protein were significantly depressed, while DNA and RNA remained essentially unchanged. The effect of BIC was maximal on the placenta.     

Antigenic changes of a murine lymphoma by in vivo treatment with triazene derivatives

Summary Five aryltriazenes were studied for efficacy in mediating immunogenic changes of tumor cells by in vivo treatment of lymphoma-bearing mice. It was found that four analog compounds produced increase in cell immunogenicity similar to that described for 5-(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno)-imidazole-4-carboxamide (DTIC), one of the five being by contrast completely inactive. Moreover, the use of a drug-resistant lymphoma illustrates that cytotoxic activity is not mandatory for the appearance of the immunogenic changes.The results show that a drug-mediated increase of tumor immunogenicity (DMITI) can be induced by triazene derivatives not containing the imidazole moiety.     

Immunologic cross-reactivity of antigen(s) induced by drug treatment in two leukemic sublines.

Previous studies have demonstrated that new antigenic specificities, not detectable on parental cells, can be induced by in vivo treatment of murine leukemic cells with anti-neoplastic agents. The immunologic properties of leukemic cells altered by treatment with 5-(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno) imidazole-4-carboxamide (DIC) were investigated further. Immunologic cross-reactivity between two DIC-treated leukemic sublines has been demonstrated by cell-mediated immunity in vitro and by active or adoptive immunity in vivo. Rabbit antiserum to DIC-treated sublines absorbed with the parental cells showed residual activity against the DIC-sublines that was specifically inhibited by further absorption with DIC-cells.     

Immunochemotherapy studies with murine lymphoma cells growing in mouse brain

Summary The present study was undertaken to explore the possible interaction between tumor immunity and antineoplastic agents at the brain level in murine lymphoma models. Host immunity against intracerebral lymphoma graft was directed against tumor-associated histocompatibility antigens, using an appropriate design of genetic distance between host and tumor. It was revealed that primary graft response against lymphoma cells can be demonstrated in the central nervous system. Immunochemotherapy synergism can occur at the mouse brain level, when allogeneic lymphomas are inoculated intracerebrally and the recipient hosts are treated with antineoplastic agents capable of crossing the blood-brain-barrier.Supported by C.N.R. Italia-USA Contract: n. 79.02381.65 Abbreviations used: ADM = Adriamycin BBB = Blood-brain-barrier BCNU = 1,3-bis-(2 chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea Cy = Cyclophosphamide CNS = Central nervous system D/T = Dead mice over total animals tested DTIC = 5(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno)-imidazole-4-carboxamide HTHI = Host tumor histoincompatibility IC = Intracerebrally MMHL = Multiple minor histocompatible loci MST = Median survival time in days NS = Not significant NT = Not tested TAHA = Tumor-associated histocompatibility antigens TATA = Tumor-associated transplantation antigens     

Increased immunogenicity of L1210 leukemia following short-term exposure to 5(3,3′-dimethyl-1-triazeno)-imidazole-4-carboxamide (DTIC) in vivo or in vitro

Summary Short-term exposure of L1210 Ha leukemia to DTIC in vivo or in vitro resulted in the generation of leukemic cells that were moderately immunogenic for histocompatible (BALB/C × DBA/2)F₁ (CD2F₁) mice. In vivo treatment was carried out in the peritoneal cavity of CD2F₁ host for 8–36 h. In vitro experiments were performed in glass vessels, in which tumor cells were incubated with DTIC for 2 h at 37° C. The in vitro generation of immunogenic leukemia was conditioned by the presence of mouse liver microsomes capable of producing metabolic transformation of DTIC. It follows that the increase of tumor cell immunogenicity produced in vitro and possibly in vivo by DTIC is due to (a) metabolic product (s) that has (have) not yet been identified. Somatic mutation, selection, viral activation, or other mechanisms could be responsible for the DTIC effect. The present studies suggest that similar in vivo or in vitro techniques could be used to obtain human tumor cells with higher immunogenicity.Abbreviations AIC 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide - BCNU 1,3-bis-chloroethyl nitrosourea - Cy of cyclophosphamide - DMITI drug-mediated increase tumor immunogenicity - DTIC 5(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno)-imidazole-4-carboxamide - MLP mouse liver preparation - PB phenobarbital     

Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Activity of a New Triazenoimidazole

Methyl-5(or 4)-(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno)-imidazole-4(or 5)-carboxylate was shown to have in vitro antimicrobial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, yeasts, filamentous fungi, and algae. Preliminary studies with mice, experimentally infected with Staphylococcus aureus, have shown that this new antimicrobial agent has in vivo chemotherapeutic activity comparable to that observed with penicillin.     

Nucleic acid content and growth of fetal brain, liver and heart during inanition in pigs

Previous investigations have indicated that gilts deprived of dietary intake for periods up to 40 days are capable of maintaining pregnancy and producing offspring of normal body weight. The present experiment was designed to study the effects of inanition during middle or late pregnancy on growth and on protein and nucleic acid content of porcine fetal brain, liver and heart. Gilts were subjected to prolonged inanition (40 days; 0 kcal/day; water only) during either the middle third (Days 30-70, n = 3) or last third (Days 70-110, n = 3) of pregnancy; controls received a full diet (7028 kcal/day) until Day 70 (n = 3) or 110 (n = 3) when all dams were hysterectomized. Inanition during middle or late pregnancy had no detrimental effect on fetal brain development. Brain weight, cell size (protein/DNA ratio) and cell number (total DNA) were similar in all fetuses at Day 70 or 110. RNA concentrations at Days 70 and 110, protein concentration at Day 70 and total protein at Day 110 were higher in fetuses from starved dams than in those from controls, indicating greater protein synthetic activity in fetal brains from nutrient-deprived dams. Prolonged inanition during midpregnancy had only a limited effect on fetal liver and heart. Only liver RNA concentration and content at Day 70 differed in fetuses from starved dams; however, 40 days inanition during late gestation had marked detrimental effects. Liver weight, cell size and cell number were reduced in inanition as compared with controls by Day 110.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Analysis of the intralesional adriamycin-induced regression of primary and metastatic growth of line-10 guinea-pig hepatoma

Summary A single intralesional injection of 2.4 mg adriamycin/kg into 7-day-old intradermal strain-2 guinea-pig hepatoma, line-10, caused regression of the tumor and prevented the growth of regional lymph node metastasis. Cured animals were resistant to challenge with the same tumor. Intratumoral injection of 20 mg DTIC/kg was not effective in causing tumor regression or preventing growth of regional lymph node metastasis. Comparative histological examinations performed on the tumor site and the draining lymph node showed that both chemotherapeutic drugs caused extensive necrosis at the injection site and that within 7 days only adriamycin eradicated tumor cells from the draining lymph nodes.The number of host lymphocytes and monocytes in the adriamycin-treated tumor sites was less than that seen in the saline- or DTIC-injected animals at all time intervals examined. Minimal peripheral effects, as measured by total and differential analysis of the blood, were noted in drug-treated normal and tumor-bearing animals. In addition, the concentration of drug used did not interfere with the development of immunity.The results suggest that the effect(s) of intralesional adriamycin treatment is probably caused by a combination of cytotoxic and cytostatic actions of the drug and the development of tumor-specific immunity. Abbreviations used: DTIC, 5-(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno)-imidazole-4-carboximide; BCNU, 1,3-bis-(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea; SDA, superficial distal axillary lymph node     

Mechanisms of 5-(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno)imidazole-4-carboxamide (Dacarbazine) cytotoxicity toward Chinese hamster ovary cells in vitro are dictated by incubation conditions

Decomposition of the antitumor agent 5-(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno)imidazole-4-carboxamide (DTIC, Dacarbazine) produces several potentially toxic compounds, the concentration of which depend on incubation parameters such as pH, temperature and illumination. The action of DTIC on chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell clone formation in the dark (7-8-day incubation) reflects the slow formation of 2-azahypoxanthine. Hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT, EC 2.4.2.8)-deficient cells are resistant to DTIC under these conditions, reflecting their inability to utilize 2-azahypoxanthine. The toxicity of DTIC in conventional survival experiments (1-2-h exposure to drug) is dependent upon illumination and is highly influenced by the pH of the medium. Toxicity of DTIC in these experiments appears to reflect rapid accumulation of the immediate photodecomposition product of the drug, 4-diazoimidazole-5-carboxamide (DZC), since HGPRT-deficient cells are not resistant to DTIC under these conditions. The biologically initiated pathway of DTIC action (enzymatic hydroxylation) has little, if any, role in the action of this agent toward cultured CHO cells.     

Adoptive immunity in mice challenged with L1210/DTIC clones

Summary New antigenic specificities, not detectable on parental cells, have been induced by many investigators in mouse lymphomas by treatment with the antitumor agent 5(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno)imidazole-4-carboxamide (DTIC). The antigens are transmissible, after withdrawal of the drug treatment, as an inheritable character. The mechanism of induction, the molecular nature, and the number of the new antigenic specificities have not been completely elucidated. Four clones from murine leukemia L1210 isolated and expanded in vitro were treated in vivo with DTIC and the new sublines were studied in detail. The four drug-treated sublines studied exhibited strong immunogenicity since they were rejected by syngeneic animals. Immunosuppressed animals challenged with 10⁷ A/DTIC or P/DTIC cells were reciprocally protected by the adoptive transfer of spleen cells from donors that had rejected a lethal challenge of A/DTIC or P/DTIC clones. In a similar fashion, the adoptive transfer of spleen cells obtained from animals that had rejected the Q/DTIC or the R/DTIC clones protected immunosuppressed mice challenged with Q/DTIC or R/DTIC cells. No antitumor activity was observed in cross-protective schedules other than those indicated. It was been concluded that (a) the L1210 leukemia line does not have antigenic cells, (b) four DTIC-treated clone sublines were rejected by compatible hosts, and (c) two mutually exclusive sets of antigens were expressed in four antigenic clone sublines.Research supported in part by P.F.O. Contract Grant from C. N. R., Rome, Italy     

The effect of thyroid hormone on mitochondrial biogenesis and cellular hyperplasia

The purpose of this investigation was to study the effects of thyroid hormone treatment on the levels of DNA, RNA, and protein in hepatocytes and hepatocyte mitochondria. A preliminary investigation was conducted to establish an effective dosage of thyroid hormone. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were given daily subcutaneous injections ofl-thyroxine (20, 40, or 60 µg/100 g body weight) and the following determinations made over a 14-day period: (1) body weight; (2) total body respiration; and (3) the activities of the mitochondrial enzymes, succinate dehydrogenase and -glycerophosphate dehydrogenase. Dosages of 20 and 40 µgl-thyroxine/100 g body weight produced significant stimulation of (a) total body respiration and (b) succinate dehydrogenase and -glycerophosphate dehydrogenase activities without any inhibitory effects on normal weight gain of the animals. Injections of 40 µgl-thyroxine/100 g body weight were utilized for subsequent studies. Hepatic DNA levels of treated animals were greater than age-paired control values by 28% on day 7 and 43% by day 14. Total liver RNA levels of thyroid-treated animals were 17% greater than those of controls by day 7 and 47% greater by day 14. Analyses were also performed on mitochondria quantitatively collected by rate zonal centrifugation. Total liver mitochondrial DNA levels in thyroid-treated animals were greater than age-paired controls by 79% at 7 days but only 67% at 14 days since a small gain occurred in control animals and no further increase occurred in treated rats during the second week. Mitochondrial RNA and protein from treated livers were 26% and 16% higher, respectively, than age-paired controls at day 7 and 40% and 58% higher, respectively, at day 14. The results of this study indicated that thyroid hormone treatment produces hyperplasia and an increase in mitochondrial number and mass in rat liver.     

Effects of 5-(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno) imidazole-4-carboxamide [NSC 45388, DTIC] on neuroblastoma cells in culture.

The effects of 5-(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno) imidazole-4-carboximide (DTIC) on morphological and biochemical parameters of differentiation were studied in mouse neuroblastoma cells in culture. DTIC (10 μg/ml) did not induce formation of neurites in the cells but inhibited cell division, and produced a marked increase in cell size and in activity of three enzymes (tyrosine hydroxylase, choline acetyltransferase and acetylcholinesterase) involved in neurotransmitter metabolism. These effects were apparently not related to an increase in the intracellular level of cyclic AMP.     

Effect of cortisol on the cellular proliferation and maturation in the cerebrum and the cerebellum of the rat: Importance of the age of the animals at the beginning of treatment]

Young rats were given either a single subcutaneous injection (1 mg at 0, 1, 4 or 8 days), or four consecutive daily injections (0.2 mg/day between 0 and 3 days; 0.4 mg/day between 4 and 7 days; 0.6 mg/day between 8 and 11 days) of cortisol acetate in order to test the influence of age on the action of corticosteroids on the biochemical maturation of the cerebrum and cerebellum in terms of their DNA, RNA, and protein contents. The results showed that: 1 The diminution of the DNA content at 35 days was greater in the cerebellum (- 16 to - 32%) than in the cerebrum (- 9 to 20%); the DNA content of the cerebrum was more affected by treatment at birth, whereas that of the cerebellum was more affected by the delayed treatments. Results were different when expressed in terms of reduction of the normal increase: the gain of DNA decreased more in the cerebrum (-70%) than in the cerebellum (-40%); but the most delayed treatment induced a greater effect in both organs. These abnormalities were not always accompanied by a significant decrease of the body weight. 2 Generally, the treatments led to an increase of the mean cell territory, expressed either in terms of decrease of the DNA concentration, or in terms of increase of the organ weight/DNA ratio. Moreover, the increase of the RNA/DNA and the protein/DNA ratios constituted an indication of an accelerated cellular maturation.     

The effect of chronic ethanol ingestion on protein metabolism in type-I- and type-II-fibre-rich skeletal muscles of the rat.

1. The effects of chronic ethanol feeding on muscles containing a predominance of either Type I (aerobic, slow-twitch) or Type II (anaerobic, fast-twitch) fibres were studied. Male Wistar rats, weighing approx. 90 g or 280 g, were pair-fed on a nutritionally complete liquid diet containing 36% of total energy as ethanol, or isovolumetric amounts of the same diet in which ethanol was replaced by isoenergetic glucose. After 6 weeks feeding, fractional rates of protein synthesis were measured with a flooding dose of L-[4-(3)H]-phenylalanine and muscles were analysed for protein, RNA and DNA. 2. Ethanol feeding decreased muscle weight, protein, RNA and DNA contents in both small and large rats. Type-II-fibre-rich muscles showed greater changes than did Type-I-fibre-rich muscles. Changes in protein paralleled decreases in DNA. 3. The capacity for protein synthesis (RNA/protein), fractional rates of protein synthesis and absolute rates of protein synthesis were decreased by ethanol feeding in both small and large rats. The amounts of protein synthesized relative to RNA and DNA were also decreased. Changes were less marked in Type-I than in Type-II-fibre-rich muscles. Loss of protein, RNA and DNA was greater in small rats, but protein synthesis was more markedly affected in large rats. 4. It was concluded that chronic ethanol feeding adversely affects protein metabolism in skeletal muscle. Fibre composition and animal size are also important factors in determining the pattern of response.     

Antiinflammatory action of hydrosoluble dimethyltriazenes on the carrageenin-induced edema in guinea pigs

The antiinflammatory activity of three hydrosoluble aryldimethyltriazenes has been examined on the carrageenin induced edema in guinea pig. The administration of equitoxic dosages of p-(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno)benzoic acid potassium salt (DM-COOK) and p-(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno)sulfonic acid sodium salt (DM-SO3Na) 1 h after carrageenin application, causes 4 h later a similar and statistically significant reduction of paw swelling by about 40% whereas, p-alanylphenyl-3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno (DM-ALA(OH)) is inactive. Of the two active compounds, DM-COOK displays interesting properties, being rapidly active and causing a peak of inhibition higher than that caused by DM-SO3Na. The antiinflammatory activity of DM-COOK is comparable with that caused by 5 mg/kg indomethacin and 200 mg/kg phenylbutazone. However, DM-COOK, unlike indomethacin, causes an inhibition of leukocyte migration into the peritoneal cavity induced by casein treatment, thus indicating a different mechanism of action. This effect needs clarification and seems not to be correlated to cytotoxicity of the drug for migrating white blood cells, as evidenced by "in vitro' examination.     

Validated high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for simultaneous determination of dacarbazine and the plasma metabolites 5-(3-hydroxymethyl-3-methyl-1-triazeno)imidazole-4-carboxamide and 5-(3-methyl-1-triazeno)imidazole-4-carboxamide

Dacarbazine (DTIC) is a prodrug that is clinically effective in the treatment of Hodgkin’s disease, melanoma and soft tissue sarcoma. To better characterize the clinical pharmacology of parent drug and reactive metabolites, a reversed-phase HPLC method with UV detection was developed for simultaneous determination of dacarbazine and the metabolites 5-(3-hydroxymethyl-3-methyl-1-triazeno)imidazole-4-carboxamide (HMMTIC) and 5-(3-methyl-1-triazeno)imidazole-4-carboxamide (MTIC). Chromatographic separation was achieved with a Zorbax SB-CN column and with a mobile phase of 80% 50 mM ammonium phosphate, pH 6.5, 20% methanol and 0.1% triethylamine. HMMTIC, MTIC and DTIC were extracted from plasma with methanol precipitation of the proteins. Recovery of DTIC and the metabolites from whole blood was greater than 92%. Rapid processing of whole blood, methanol extraction and storage at −70°C substantially increased the stability of HMMTIC and MTIC from less than 15 min to 3 days. Precision for HMMTIC, MTIC and DTIC ranged from 3.7 to 16.3% relative standard deviation. The accuracy ranged from 101 to 114% for all three analytes. The validated assay was used to determine the pharmacokinetic data for dacarbazine and its active metabolites for human patients with recurrent glioma receiving DTIC intravenously.     

Influence of exercise training on maternal and fetal morphological characteristics in the rat

Evidence in both humans and animals has shown that exercise before or during pregnancy may effect fetal outcome. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of an exercise program on fetal development in the rat. Prior to impregnation one group of animals was exercise-trained on a Quinton shock-stimulus rodent treadmill. The exercised group was trained to run 5 days/wk, for 2.0 h/day at 31 m/min up an 8 degree incline for 8 wk before mating. Following mating the training intensity was reduced to 27 m/min up a 5 degree incline, and the exercise period decreased to 1 h/day. On day 19 of gestation, 24 h postexercise for the trained mothers, the animals were killed in the fed state and the maternal and fetal characteristics were measured. The sedentary controls gained significantly (P less than 0.05) more body weight during pregnancy. This can be attributed to three factors: higher number of fetuses, 14.83 +/- 0.04 vs. 12.2 +/- 0.85 for the trained; larger litter weights, 44.25 +/- 4.97 vs. 26.17 +/- 1.82 g/dam for the trained; and slightly larger lipid stores. In addition to having fewer pups the trained mothers had a greater number of fetal resorptions; 0.9/dam as opposed to 0.17/dam for the sedentary control. Analysis of fetal body composition showed no difference in total body water, protein, or fat between the pups of sedentary and trained dams. The results of this study indicate that exercise training prior to and during pregnancy influences fetal development in the rat.     

CellProfiler: image analysis software for identifying and quantifying cell phenotypes

Biologists can now prepare and image thousands of samples per day using automation, enabling chemical screens and functional genomics (for example, using RNA interference). Here we describe the first free, open-source system designed for flexible, high-throughput cell image analysis, CellProfiler. CellProfiler can address a variety of biological questions quantitatively, including standard assays (for example, cell count, size, per-cell protein levels) and complex morphological assays (for example, cell/organelle shape or subcellular patterns of DNA or protein staining).     

Inhibition of lymphocyte growth by spermidine in medium containing fetal bovine serum

The effect of spermidine and fetal bovine serum on DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis in phytohemagglutinin-stimulated human lymphocytes was investigated. At 10(-4) M spermidine, DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis ceased and 70% of the original cell population died within 62 hr. Lower spermidine concentrations had no significant effect on DNA and protein synthesis, but caused an early, unexplained increase in the rate of RNA synthesis. Heating at 56 degrees C for 30 min had no effect on the plasma amine oxidase activity in fetal bovine and horse sera but abolished the activity in human plasma. It is concluded that low amounts of aminoaldehydes and acrolein produced by plasma amine oxidase at spermidine concentrations below 10(-4) M do not noticeably alter lymphocyte metabolism. However, the aminoaldehydes and acrolein produced become abruptly cytotoxic at 10(-4) M spermidine.