Efficacy of mycobacterial components in the immunotherapy of mice with pulmonary tumor deposits

Summary The effectiveness of each of two mycobacterial components and a synthetic analog of one of them in the eradication of pulmonary deposits of intravenously injected syngeneic fibrosarcoma 1023 in C3H mice was studied. BCG cell walls (BCG CW), trehalose 6,6-dimycolate (TDM) or 6,6-di-0-2-tetradecyl, 3-hydroxyoctadecanoyl-,-trehalose (C76), a synthetic analog of TDM, was administered in emulsified form by three different routes: intraperitoneal, intradermal, or intravenous, 24 h after intravenous injection of 1023 tumor cells. The most effective form of therapy was TDM given by the intraperitoneal route; about 50% of treated animals were cured. Higher doses of BCG CW or C76 also led to a significant number of cures. Each agent caused a significant prolongation of survival time of the treated mice at two or more of the dosages tested; however, their routes of optimal activity varied.     

R-factor-mediated suppression of the galactose-sensitive phenotype of Escherichia coli K-12 galE mutants

Plasmids S-a and Rts1 suppress the galactose-sensitive phenotype of galE mutants of Escherichia coli K-12, giving rise to both galactose-fermenting and nonfermenting strains. Fermenting strains produce normal inducible UDP-galactose epimerase. Plasmids extracted from either a fermenting or a nonfermenting strain are indistinguishable when examined by either measurements of length of relaxed circular molecules by electron microscopy or electrophoretic pattern of restriction endonuclease digestion products. The phenomenon could be explained by reversible recombination between a plasmid-borne epimerase gene and homologous chromosomal sequences.     

Reactivity of sulphydryl groups of cytosolic and mitochondrial bovine aspartate aminotransferases

Summary Reactivity of sulphydryl groups of cytosolic and mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferases from ox heart has been studied. A total of 5 and 7 cysteine residues per monomer are present in cAATo and mAATo, respectively. In native conditions only a single sulphydryl group can be titrated by Nbs₂ while the catalytic activity remains unchanged, however in the mitochondrial isozyme the reactivity depends on the functional state of the enzyme. Reactivity toward NEM reveals the existence of a syncatalytic sulphydryl group in the cytosolic isozyme. Titration of cAATo with pMB at pH 8 and pH 5 confirms the existence of two exposed sulphydryl groups with a different reactivity. The results compared with those reported on the corresponding isozymes from pig and chicken heart show that syncatalytic sulphydryl groups are of general occurrence in these enzymes.     

Characterization of cytoplasmic arginine-rich basic protein of Guerin epithelioma

Summary Arginine-rich basic protein from cytoplasma of Guerin epitheliomas has been isolated and characterized. It contains five amino acids: arginine, lysine, glycine, alanine and glutamic acid which make together 74 per cent of all amino acid residues. The protein has a cationic character with an isoelectric point of 8.2. No carbohydrate component was found in this protein. The significance of arginine-rich basic protein in the cytoplasma of Guerin epithelioma is discussed briefly.     

Immunotherapy of a guinea pig hepatoma with ultrasonically prepared mycobacterial vaccines

Summary Oil-in-water emulsions containing either mycobacterial cell walls (CW) or killed whole cells attached to the oil droplets were prepared by ultrasonication and by a modified grinding procedure. The immunotherapeutic potency of the ultrasonically prepared vaccines was at least as great as that of similar vaccines prepared by emulsification in a tissue grinder. Among the advantages of ultrasonication over grinding for the preparation of mycobacterial cell and cell wall vaccines are simplicity and the ease with which sterility may be maintained. Both the ultrasonic and modified grinding methods are less time-consuming than published procedures for preparing mycobacterial vaccines.     

Biochemical transformation of mouse cells by herpes simplex virus type 2: enhancement by means of low-level photodynamic treatment.

The biochemical transformation of thymidine kinase-deficient cells by UV-inactivated herpes simplex virus is enhanced by low-level photodynamic treatment of the infected cells. At the concentration of proflavine used, the virus was not inactivated and both virus and cellular DNA syntheses were only marginally inhibited. The observed enhancement of the transfer of a virus gene to the cell genome suggests a possible cocarcinogenic role for photodynamically active dyes at very low concentrations.     

Isoelectric focusing patterns of staphylococcal exfoliative toxin

Multiple components in two antigenic variants of staphylococcal exfoliative toxin were demonstrated by isoelectric focusing in polyacrylamide gel. The main components had an isoionic point of pH=7.0 while other components ranged from pI=4.5 to pI=8.5. Each individual component was shown to possess full biologic and serologic activity after focusing. Isoelectric focusing in the presence of 8 M urea also showed microheterogeneity in exfoliative toxin preparations. The various components appear to be reversible conformers, possibly raised by exposure to the ph gradient of the ampholines.     

Biochemical changes of rat brain membranes with aging

Modification of membrane composition and enzymatic activities both in total brain homogenate and purified synaptic plasma membrane of 3 and 24 month old rats has been investigated. Protein, cholesterol and phospholipid content and (Na+, K+)ATPase and 2',3' cyclic nucleotide phosphohydrolase activities were determined. The major changes occurred in the whole homogenate where a general increase in total protein and cholesterol content with age and a significant increase of the cholesterol/phospholipids molar ratio has been detected. In S.P.M. aging process induced a decrease of protein, cholesterol and phospholipids content associated with an increased membrane viscosity and a decrease of delta E. These data are consistent with a change in the structural organization and in the distribution pattern of different cell population in the aging brain. A possible artifactual effect of freezing on the reported parameter is also discussed.