Assessment of histogenesis and proliferative potential in cytologic specimens of human brain tumors. Value of immunocytochemistry and nucleolar organizer regions.

The value of immunocytochemistry and nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) for the histogenetic identification and the estimation of the proliferative potential of brain tumors was assessed by the investigation of imprint smears of 51 neurosurgical tumor specimens. A panel of five monoclonal antibodies was used to cover a broad range of immunohistochemical markers. For the assessment of NORs, a silver staining technique (AgNOR) was used. NORs were enumerated and measured by means of an interactive image analysis system. The immunocytochemical results were similar for the smears and paraffin-embedded sections for 95.6% of the investigations performed and for 76.2% of the cases. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was positive in 9 of 17 tumors of glial origin, but was negative in 9 metastatic tumors. Vimentin was positive in 10 of 10 and fibronectin in 9 of 10 meningiomas investigated. The number of NORs increased steadily with the increasing grade of malignancy. Especially in glioblastomas, the number of NORs per cell exhibited a wide range, which might reflect the heterogeneity of these neoplasms. Metastases revealed a higher number of NORs per cell than did glioblastomas. In the cytologic differential diagnosis of these tumors, an absence of GFAP expression combined with a high NOR count is suggestive of a metastatic tumor.     

Neonatal screening for congenital adrenal hyperplasia using 17-hydroxyprogesterone assay in filter paper blood spots

Screening of infants for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) using filter paper blood samples collected on the 5th day of life was performed with a radioimmunoassay for 17-hydroxyprogesterone without extraction with organic solvents. A total of 153,000 newborns were screened and 12 cases of CAH were detected (1:12,800). With recall levels related to gestational age, the recall rate could be lowered to 0.05%.     

Site-specific endonucleolytic cleavages and the regulation of stability of E. coli ompA mRNA

The stability of ompA mRNA is growth-rate dependent. We show that the 5' noncoding region of this mRNA provides a target for site-specific endonucleases. The rate of degradation of ompA mRNA parallels the rate of these endonucleolytic cleavages, implying that endonucleolytic rather than exonucleolytic attack is the initial step in ompA mRNA degradation. Thus the 5' noncoding region appears to be a determinant of mRNA stability, and endonucleolytic cleavages in the 5' noncoding region may well regulate expression of the ompA gene.     

Production and immunohistochemical characterization of monoclonal antibodies directed against renal basement membranes of rats

Basement membranes were separated from rat glomeruli and purified by mild procedures, which led to a highly enriched basement membrane fraction. Here, the production and characterization of five monoclonal antibodies against tubular and glomerular basement membranes are described. These antibodies were analyzed immunohistochemically on frozen sections of rat, bovine, and human kidneys as well as on rat embryos. One monoclonal antibody (BM O II) exclusively recognized the glomerular basement membranes, another one (BM O VII) bound to tubular basement membranes and to Bowman's capsule. Three antibodies (BM O IV, BM M II, BM M III) recognized their antigens in both glomerular and tubular basement membranes as well as in mesangial cells. The BM O II antibody showed a stringent species specificity and bound only to glomerular basement membranes of the rat. The other four antibodies cross-reacted with human and bovine glomerular basement membrane and mesangial antigens; they also bound to other tissues in the developing rat embryo. Antibody binding to specific purified components of the basement membranes such as collagen type IV, laminin, heparan sulphate proteoglycan, and fibronectin was investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). None of these antibodies reacted with any of these known basement membrane components, indicating that the antibodies may serve as useful tools in future investigations of so far unidentified components of basement membranes.     

Enhancement and inhibition of benzo[a]pyrene-induced SOS function in E. coli by synthetic antioxidants

8 antioxidants were tested in the SOS chromotest for induction of SOS function and for modulation of benzo[a]pyrene-induced SOS function. None of the antioxidants leads to increased beta-galactosidase activity by itself. Butylated hydroxytoluene at concentrations between 10(-5) M and 3 X 10(-4) M enhances benzo[a]pyrene-induced SOS function at benzo[a]pyrene concentrations between 10(-6) M and 3 X 10(-5) M. Butylated hydroxyanisole, ethoxyquin, propyl gallate and octyl gallate also slightly enhance benzo[a]pyrene-induced SOS function at concentrations up to 3 X 10(-4) M though to a lesser degree than butylated hydroxytoluene. Dodecyl gallate, vitamin C and alpha-tocopherol do not increase benzo[a]pyrene action. In concentrations exceeding 3 X 10(-4) M all synthetic antioxidants tested but not vitamin C and alpha-tocopherol decrease beta-galactosidase activity both in the absence and, more extensively, in the presence of benzo[a]pyrene. Preliminary data suggest that the apparent suppression of benzo[a]pyrene-induced SOS function is not due to an effect on the formation of benzo[a]pyrene metabolites by the metabolizing system used.     

Platelet-neutrophil interactions. (12S)-hydroxyeicosatetraen-1,20-dioic acid: a new eicosanoid synthesized by unstimulated neutrophils from (12S)-20-dihydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid

In the course of a cell-cell interaction, 12-HETE (12-hydroxy-5,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoic acid), the arachidonic acid lipoxygenase product released from stimulated platelets, is metabolized by a cytochrome P-450 enzyme system in unstimulated neutrophils to 12,20-DiHETE (12,20-dihydroxy-5,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoic acid). This report describes time-dependent formation of a new eicosanoid by unstimulated neutrophils exposed to 12-HETE, which is more polar than 12,20-DiHETE (reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography). Time course studies indicated that the precursor compound of this new eicosanoid was 12,20-DiHETE. This was determined by incubation of purified 12,20-DiHETE with neutrophils, which resulted in a progressive decrease in 12,20-DiHETE as formation of the polar metabolite increased. In the absence of neutrophils, 12,20-DiHETE was quantitatively unchanged. The new metabolite of 12,20-DiHETE was identified as 12-hydroxyeicosatetraen-1,20-dioic acid, based upon its UV spectrum, co-chromatography with a chemically synthesized standard in both high performance liquid chromatography and thin layer chromatography systems, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Formation of 12-HETE-1,20-dioic acid was partially inhibited by 20-hydroxy-LTB4. This indicated that the neutrophil dehydrogenase responsible for further metabolism of 12,20-DiHETE may also be involved in conversion of 20-hydroxy-LTB4 to 20-carboxy-LTB4. The 12,20-DiHETE dehydrogenase enzyme system specifically requires NAD as cofactor and has subcellular components in both cytosolic and microsomal fractions which are synergistic in their activity. These results provide additional evidence for the occurrence of multicellular metabolic events during hemostasis, thrombosis, and the inflammatory response.     

Characterization of phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate kinases in human neutrophils

Phosphodiesteric cleavage of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns-4,5-P2) is required for transmembrane signaling by chemoattractants in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN). Considering the importance of PtdIns-4,5-P2 as a reservoir for second messenger substances, we have characterized the enzyme system that synthesizes this phospholipid in human PMN, consisting of kinases for phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) and phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (PtdIns-4-P). The preferred phosphate donor for both enzymes was ATP as compared with GTP. The respective Km for ATP for PtdIns kinase and PtdIns-P kinase were 0.049 +/- 0.013 and 0.062 +/- 0.005 mM and for GTP were 0.242 +/- 0.016 and 0.186 +/- 0.037 mM. PtdIns stimulated the activity of PtdIns kinase to a greater extent than PtdIns-4-P kinase. PtdIns-4-P inhibited the activity of detergent-solubilized PtdIns kinase and stimulated particulate PtdIns-4-P kinase, whereas both enzymes exhibited substrate inhibition to PtdIns-4,5-P2. Mg2+ was the preferred cation for both enzymes, but the apparent Km values (4.1 +/- 0.9 mM for PtdIns kinase and 1.0 +/- 0.7 mM for PtdIns-4-P kinase) were significantly different (p less than 0.005). Mn2+ partially substituted for Mg2+, and both enzymes were inhibited by Ca2+. The polyamine spermine stimulated PtdIns-4-P kinase activity to a greater extent and at lower concentrations than PtdIns kinase. PtdIns kinase was easily solubilized in both Triton X-100 and Nonidet P-40, whereas PtdIns-4-P kinase remained in a detergent-nonextractable membrane fraction. These findings demonstrate that the enzyme system in human PMN that forms PtdIns-4,5-P2 is composed of two distinct enzymes with similar characteristics.