Preferential uptake of intravenously administered hyaluronidase (Hyalosidase) by damaged rat myocardium

The induction of myocardial infarction in rats by ligation of the left - anterior coronary artery was confirmed by measurement of increased plasma levels of creatine kinase, aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase. Using this model system it has been established t h a t intravenous administration of 12SI-labelled hyaluronidase to rats resulted in a preferential uptake of the enzyme by damaged myocardium as compared to normal heart tissue.     

Toxicity studies of intravenously administered BCG in baboons

Summary The toxicity of fresh preparations of BCG administered intravenously as single or weekly repeated doses of 1 g, 100 mg, 10 mg, and 1 mg, was studied in 9 adult baboons. Clinical, biochemical, histologic, and bacteriologic examinations were performed. Tissues for histopathologic and bacteriologic examinations were obtained by laparotomy and biopsy, or by autopsy. Four and 5 months after the first injection, the surviving animals were killed purposely for examination. With high doses of BCG (2 g, 1 g, 500 mg) the severe toxicity with death of 2 animals was demonstrated. Diffuse cellular infiltrations of macrophages and lymphocytes in the liver, spleen, lungs, and lymph nodes, with formation of early, typical granulomas and great numbers of cultivable units of BCG were found in these animals. With small doses of BCG, general granulomatous reactions occurred in all organs sampled. Four months after BCG injection, granulomas had regressed, but viable organisms persisted in the lymph nodes. Future investigations may prove feasible the possibility of immunotherapy with small doses of BCG administered intravenously, since live bacilli persist for months after injections, presumably creating the chronic BCGitis necessary for effective immunotherapy. Reprint requests should be addressed to: Institut de Cancérologie et d'Immunogénétique (INSERM)