Carcinoembryonic antigen-like substances of human urothelial carcinomas. Isolation of components from pathological urine and comparison with colorectal carcinoma antigens

Urines of several patients with urothelial carcinomas contain inhibitors of the immunoreaction between carcinoembryonic antigen derived from human colorectal carcinomas and monospecific goat antiserum raised against the antigen. These inhibitors range in approximate molecular weights from less than 1000 to several millions, and two have been isolated by a combination of extraction, gel filtration and electrophoretic procedures. These are respectively a macromolecular aggregate, component UCEA-3, which is excluded by Sepharose 4B, and a glycoprotein(s) component, UCEA-1, with mean molecular weight (2x10(5)) similar to that of carcinoembryonic antigen. Comparison of the properties of component UCEA-1 and carcinoembryonic antigen on gel filtration, electrophoresis, immunoelectrophoresis and density gradient ultracentrifugation indicates that these substances of similar molecular size and net charge differ in some immunochemical properties.     

Struvite urolithiasis in a B6C3F1 mouse.

In a 2 year carcinogenicity bioassay using B6C3F1 mice, one male mouse developed clinical signs near termination of the study, comprising skin sores around the prepuce, penile prolapse and urine scalding. The predominant finding at necropsy was a markedly distended urinary bladder filled with numerous crystallized particles. Microscopically, there was subacute cystitis with marked hyperplasia of the transitional epithelium. X-ray diffraction analysis of the crystals showed a diffraction pattern characteristic of struvite (ammonium magnesium phosphate). The implications of the spontaneous occurrence of bladder stones in rodents on long-term toxicology studies are discussed.     

Effects of electromagnetic radiation in the range 20–300 MHz on the vacuolar potential of characean cells

A giant cell (circa 10 mm long) of Chara braunii or Nitella flexilis was placed in a microstrip exposure apparatus, and the vacuolar potential at one end was monitored with a micropipette while the other end was exposed to pulses of VHF radiation at electric field strengths up to 6250 V/m. With suitable filtering and signal averaging, offsets of the vacuolar potential could be detected in real time and at levels as low as 1 μU V. The only effect that has been reproducibly observed in the carrier frequency range 20–300 MHz was the slow ramp-like hyperpolarization previously reported [Pickard and Barsoum, 1981] and tentatively attributed to electromagnetic heating of the system. The slopes of these ramps became more pronounced with increasing frequency and behaved in accordance with theoretical predictions.     

Auricular chondritis in Wistar rats

The macroscopic and microscopic features of auricular chondritis in Wistar rats are described. Histologic lesions are characterized by granulomatous inflammation, chondrolysis, and multinodular proliferative foci. The condition in Wistar rats is compared to auricular chondritis in other strains of rats.     

The vacuolar potential of characean cells subjected to electromagnetic radiation in the range 200–8,200 MHz

Single giant cells of Chara braunii and Nitella flexilis were placed in a microstrip exposure apparatus and subjected to bursts of electromagnetic radiation (carrier frequencies from 200 to 8,200 MHz) at a nominal power level of 100 W/m². The vacuolar potential was monitored with a micropipette, and offsets as low as 1 μ V could be resolved in real time by suitable filtering and signal averaging; under these conditions, no offsets of the vacuolar potential were detected. At much higher power levels (corresponding to > 2 V rms between microstrip and ground plane), the slow hyperpolarizing ramp reported at lower frequencies could be seen but, because of insufficient power, could not be accurately measured. It appeared to decay beyond 500 MHz and to be absent at and above 950 MHz. To investigate reports that snail neurons irradiated for 1 h at 2,450 MHz and approximately 15.5 W/kg developed lowered membrane resistivities, Characean cells were exposed in the microstrip apparatus for 1 h at 2,450 MHz and 230 W/m²; their membrane resistivities were found to be lowered about 18.5%.     

Schistosoma mansoni: detection of circulating antigens in murine schistosomiasis by antigen-capture sandwich ELISA using a monoclonal antibody

A monoclonal antibody (MAb) 5H11/B1 that reacts with a repeating epitope on an excretory-secretory (E + S) antigen of adult worms of Schistosoma mansoni was used in the detection of circulating antigen (CA) in sera from S. mansoni-infected mice using an antigen-capture sandwich ELISA. Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) pretreatment of sera from mice infected for 8 or 16 weeks precipitated immune complexes and/or dissociated CA and allowed its detection. Sera obtained 8 weeks after infection contained high levels of CA. Upon treatment with praziquantel (100 mg/kg body wt), this level was significantly less within 1 week. A strong correlation was found between the worm count determined by perfusion and the level of antigenemia detected by the 5H11/B1 assay in light and heavy infection (r = 0.80). Based on the results of both TCA pretreatment and sodium periodate treatment, the 5H11/B1 sandwich ELISA assay detects a repeating carbohydrate epitope on an E + S antigen. This system appears to be a sensitive assay for the detection of schistosomal antigenemia in murine schistosomiasis. Studies on the detection of antigenemia in human schistosomiasis using this assay are in progress.