Stability of Lanatoside C content in thein vitro propagatedDigitalis lanata clones

In vitro culture was established from shoot tips ofDigitalis lanata cotyledonous plants. The propagated plant material was rooted, transplanted into soil and grown under field conditions. Lanatoside C content was determined in a total of 20 clones and statistically evaluated by means of variance analysis of unequal-sized samples.In vitro clonal propagation ofD. lanata was found not to affect lanatoside C content. Drug level was dependent on a plant genotype.     

Biotransformation of 2-(4-methoxybenzyl)-l-cyclohexanone by cell cultures ofSolatium aviculare

During the search for compounds with insect juvenile hormone activity, the biotransformation of 2-(4-methoxybenzyl)-l-cyclohexanone, of 2-(4-methoxybenzyl)-l-cyclohexanone ethylene acetal and of both isomers of 2-(4-methoxybenzyl)-l-cyclohexanol by plant cells was examined. The compounds were metabolized by cell suspension culture of Solatium aviculare Forst. The reaction conditions were optimized and the metabolic products isolated and identified. A scheme of biotransformation pathway has been proposed.     

Leukocyte-derived inhibitory activity in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome

Leukocyte-derived inhibitory activity inhibiting the entry of normal progenitor cells of granulocytes and macrophages (CFU-GM) into the S-phase of a cell cycle was investigated in 16 patients with different forms of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). The presence of this inhibitory activity was analysed in medium conditioned with low-density cells obtained from peripheral blood of MDS patients. The inhibition rate was measured by 3H-thymidine suicide technique with subsequent cultivation of pretreated cells in semisolid agar medium. Low-density cells from MDS patients of various types were studied: from the twelve patients with refractory anaemia (RA or RAS) only three were positive, one patient with chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (CMML) was negative while one patient with refractory anaemia with excess of blasts (RAEB) and two patients with RAEB in transformation (RAEB-T) were positive with respect of the described test. In two patients with RA, who underwent a long-term investigation, the production of leukocyte-derived inhibitory activity preceded the development of disease into RAEB or RAEB-T. In five positive cases, supernatants were incubated with antiserum against human placental ferritin; with one exception, the inhibitory activity was neutralized.     

Expression of HLA-DR antigens on tumour cells does not contribute to skin reactivity to autologous cholesteryl hemisuccinate (CHS)-treated tumour cells in patients with metastatic melanoma

Summary Skin tests with autologous cholesteryl hemisuccinate (CHS)-treated and untreated cells were performed in ten metastatic melanoma patients. In the majority of cases evident reaction was noted with CHS-treated cells (9/10) while the reaction with untreated cells was mostly negative (7/10). Tumour cell suspensions used for skin tests were characterized for reactivity with monoclonal antibody TAL 1B5 detecting the HLA-DR alpha chain. There were no differences between CHS-treated and untreated cells with respect to HLA-DR expression and no correlation was found between grade of skin reaction to CHS-treated cells and the proportion of HLA-DR positive cells in the injected cell sample.     

Microinjection of normal cell extracts into Fanconi anemia fibroblasts corrects defective scheduled DNA synthesis recovery after 8-methoxypsoralen plus UVa treatment

Summary Fanconi anemia (FA) cells show an increased sensitivity to 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) plus UVa treatment; after an initial reduction of their semiconservative DNA synthesis rate, they do not recover like normal cells. We microinjected extracts from normal cells into FA fibroblasts from complementation group A and determined semiconservative DNA synthesis rates by autoradiography; the hampered recovery phase was completely restored.The present data are part of M. Gök's thesis 1987 at the University of Heidelberg     

Left ventricular response to sublingual administration of nitroglycerin

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the rapid improvement of the clinical condition of patients after administration of nitroglycerin can be documented objectively using the apexcardiogram. The study was performed on 28 male patients with coronary heart disease whose clinical condition allowed us to perform the initial polygraphic examination during an attack of angina pectoris. The heart rate and three apexcardiographic indexes were determined from non-invasive polygraphic tracings. The first index was the a/H (ratio: amplitude of apexcardiographic "a" wave to total amplitude of apexcardiogram). The second and third were the velocity of the anterior left ventricular wall motion during both isovolumic contraction (VwmC) and isovolumic relaxation (VwmR) of the left ventricle. The mean differences from initial values were calculated after 2, 4, 6 and 10 min following administration of nitroglycerin. Significant changes already occurred during the second minute after administration of nitroglycerin. All parameters remained significantly changed up to the 10th minute after this treatment. According to our results, the cardiovascular response to sublingual administration of nitroglycerin can be objectively evaluated by apexcardiography.     

A BamHI family of highly repeated DNA sequences of Nicotiana tabacum

Summary HRS60.1, a monomer unit (184 bp) of a highly repeated nuclear DNA sequence of Nicotiana tabacum, has been cloned and sequenced. Following BamHI digestion of tobacco DNA, Southern hybridization with HRS60.1 revealed a ladder of hybridization bands corresponding to multiples of the basic monomer unit. If the tobacco DNA was digested with restriction endonucleases which have no target site in HRS60.1, the larger part of DNA homologous to HRS60.1 remained as uncleaved relic DNA. These results suggest a tandem arrangement of this DNA repeat unit. Four other clones of tobacco nuclear DNA cross-hybridized with HRS60.1, thus forming a HRS60-family. Sequencing their inserts has shown their strong mutual homology. HRS60-family comprised about 2% of the nuclear genome of N. tabacum. Computer comparisons with other tandem plant-repeated DNA sequences could not detect any other homologous sequence.     

Conversion of disaccharides to 3-ketodisaccharides by nongrowing and immobilized cells ofAgrobacterium tumefaciens

High-performance liquid chromatography was used to estimate 3-ketolactose and 3-ketosucrose in cultures of agrobacteria. The activities of enzymes that convert the disaccharide substrate were evaluated during batch cultivation ofAgrobacterium tumefaciens on sucrose, maltose, and lactose. The highest activity of glucoside 3-dehydrogenase and a slight activity of disaccharide-hydrolyzing enzymes were found in cells grown on lactose. Nongrowing cells converted lactose to 3-ketolactose faster than immobilized cells did. Immobilization of cells into polysaccharide gels did not stabilize the activity of glucoside 3-dehydrogenase. Glutaraldehyde cross-linking of the cell content led to an inactivation of the respiratory chain but Fe³⁺ could be used as an electron acceptor. Cells treated with glutaraldehyde converted lactose faster than nongrowing ones but the activity of glucoside 3-dehydrogenase was not stable.     

Fortpflanzungsverhalten der Palmtaube (Streptopelia senegalensis): Paarbildung bis Eiablage

Zusammenfassung Die Fortpflanzungsperiode der Palmtaube (Streptopelia s. senegalensis L.) fängt in Diyarbakir/Türkei (37°55N/40°12E) schon Anfang Februar an und kann bis Mitte November dauern. In diesem Zeitraum kann ein Paar bis zu sieben Bruten beginnen (Tab. 1). Nach der Paarbildung fangen die Kopulationen an, die vor allem in der Woche vor der Eiablage stark zunehmen. Während des Brütens und der ersten Woche der Jungenaufzucht sind sie dagegen nicht zu beobachten. Sie werden vom im allgemeinen mit sog. Flügeltippen bzw. Scheinputzen eingeleitet. Nach der Begattung paradiert das um das , das auf der Stelle verharrt. Vor dem Tretakt fällt das dagegen in infantiles Verhalten und bettelt unter Flügelzittern den Partner um Futter an. Es bekommt auch tatsächlich Futter. Die Palmtauben sind zumindest für eine Fortpflanzungssaison monogam. U. a. spielen wechselseitige Gefiederpflege und Anschlußbruten sowie die Fütterung des durch das eine wichtige Rolle für das Zusammenleben und -bleiben der Partner. Der Nistplatz wird vom gezeigt, aber vom gewählt. Das Nistmaterial wird vom eingetragen und im allgemeinen vom alleine in das Nest eingefügt. Nur während des Brutwechsels bringt auch das hin und wieder Nistmaterial, das aber wahrscheinlich nur für den Partner, nicht für das Nest dient. In den späteren Phasen des Brütens gilt dies wahrscheinlich auch für das . 1–4 Tage nach dem Nestbaubeginn wird gegen Abend das erste Ei gelegt, womit auch das Brüten anfängt. Das zweite Ei folgt dann rund 38 Stunden später.

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On the reproductive behaviour of the Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis): pair-formation to egg-laying

Summary In Diyarbakr/Turkey, the reproductive season of the Laughing Dove begins in early February and lasts til mid November. One pair may start with breeding up to seven times a year. The frequency of copulations which could be observed only after pair formation increased considerably in the week before incubation starts. During incubation and during the first week of the nestling period no copulations could be observed. Usually copulations are initiated by the male pecking behind its folded wings (displacement-preening). Before mating, the female turns into infantile behaviour begging food from its partner by wing-twitching. Food is then delivered by the male. After mating the female parades around the male which stays motionless. Paired birds stay together at least during one reproductive season. Reinforcement of the pair bond will be achieved by mutual preening, courtship feeding of the female by the male, and successive broods. The male indicates the nest site which is successively chosen by the female. The nest material is brought by the male and usually placed by the female at the nest site. Only during change-overs the female sometimes brings nesting material, too. However, this material probably is for the partner, not actually for the nest. The same may be true for similar behaviour of the male in late stages of incubation. One to four days after nest building has started the first egg is laid, mostly in late afternoon. Incubation starts with the first egg; the second egg is laid about 38 hours later.

     

Phosphofructokinase 2 and glycolysis in HT29 human colon adenocarcinoma cell line. Regulation by insulin and phorbol esters.

Kinetic properties of phosphofructokinase 2 (PFK2) and regulation of glycolysis by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and insulin were investigated in highly glycolytic HT29 colon cancer cells. PFK2 was found to be inhibited by citrate and, to a lesser extent, by phosphoenolpyruvate and ADP, but to be insensitive to inhibition by sn-glycerol phosphate. From these kinetic data, PFK2 from HT29 cells appears different from the liver form, but resembles somewhat the heart isoenzyme. Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate (Fru-2,6-P2) levels, glucose consumption and lactate production are increased in a dose-dependent manner in HT29 cells treated with PMA or insulin. The increase in Fru-2,6-P2 can be related to an increase in the Vmax. of PFK2, persisting after the enzyme has been precipitated with poly(ethylene glycol), without change in the Km for fructose 6-phosphate. The most striking effects of PMA and insulin on Fru-2,6-P2 production are observed after long-term treatment (24 h) and are abolished by actinomycin, cycloheximide and puromycin, suggesting that protein synthesis is involved. Furthermore, the effects of insulin and PMA on glucose consumption, lactate production, Fru-2,6-P2 levels and PFK2 activity are additive, and the effect of insulin on Fru-2,6-P2 production is not altered by pre-treatment of the cells with the phorbol ester. This suggests that these effects are exerted by separate mechanisms.