Intralymphatic administration of BCG in melanoma patients

Summary From November 1973 to December 1974, 20 patients with advanced malignant melanoma were treated with BCG given by intralymphatic route at the Cancer Institute of Milan. The lyophilized Pasteur BCG was used. Patients were treated with a single dose ranging from 0.2–80 mg. Patients' performance status was never severely impaired.The most frequent side effects were fever, lymphangitis, and lymph node enlargement.Variations were observed in white cell count, ERS and immunoglobulins; in no case did we find evidence of liver toxicity or tumor growth enhancement. It is concluded that the intralymphatic route is a safe way of administrating BCG.     

Calmodulin binding to platelet plasma membranes

Calmodulin copurifies with platelet plasma membranes isolated by glycerol-induced lysis and density gradient centrifugation. These membranes also bind ¹²⁵I-labeled calmodulin in vitro in the presence of Ca²⁺. Binding is largely reduced by replacing Ca²⁺ by Mg²⁺ or by addition of an excess unlabeled calmodulin. The specific component of binding is saturable, with an apparent K_d of 27 nM and a maximum of 15.9 pmol binding sites per mg of membrane protein. This is equivalent to approx. 4100 binding sites per platelet. Binding was inhibited by addition of phenothiazines, a group of calmodulin antagonists. Half-maximal inhibition was attained with approx. 20 μM trifluoperazine or 50 μM chlorpromazine. In contrast, chlorpromazine-sulfoxide which is inactive towards calmodulin, did not affect the binding. Calmodulin binding polypeptides of the plasma membrane were identified by a gel-overlay technique. A major calmodulin-binding component of molecular weight 149 000 was detected. Binding to this band was Ca²⁺-dependent and inhibited by chlorpromazine. The molecular weight of this polypeptide is similar to that of glycoprotein I and also that of the red cell (Ca²⁺ + Mg²⁺)-stimulated ATPase, which is known to bind calmodulin. The possible role of calmodulin in platelet activation is analysed.     

Enzymatic synthesis of 12-ketoursodeoxycholic acid from dehydrocholic acid in a membrane reactor

Summary Dehydrocholic acid (3,7,12-trioxo-5-cholanic acid) (0.5% concentration) was completely and selectively reduced to 12-ketoursodeoxycholic acid (3, 7-dihydroxy-12-oxo- 5-cholanic acid) in a membrane reactor by means of 3-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 7-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. Coenzyme regeneration was carried out with the glucose-glucose dehydrogenase system.     

Nigericin forms highly stable complexes with lithium and cesium

Nigericin is a monocarboxylic polyether molecule described as a mobile K⁺ ionophore unable to transport Li⁺ and Cs⁺ across natural or artificial membranes. This paper shows that the ion carrier molecule forms complexes of equivalent energy demands with Li⁺, Cs⁺, Na⁺, Rb⁺, and K⁺. This is in accordance with the similar values of the complex stability constants obtained from nigericin with the five alkali metal cations assayed. On the other hand, nigericinalkali metal cation binding isotherms show faster rates for Li⁺ and Cs⁺ than for Na⁺, K⁺, and Rb⁺, in conditions where the carboxylic proton does not dissociate. Furthermore, proton NMR spectra of nigericin-Li⁺ and nigericin-Cs⁺ complexes show wide broadenings, suggesting strong cation interaction with the ionophore; in contrast, the complexes with Na⁺, K⁺, and Rb⁺ show only clear-cut chemical shifts. These latter results support the view that nigericin forms highly stable complexes with Li⁺ and Cs⁺ and contribute to the explanation for the inability of this ionophore to transport the former cations in conditions where it catalyzes a fast transport of K⁺>Rb⁺>Na⁺.Part of the results of this paper were presented at the 14th International Congress of Biochemistry in Prague, Czechoslovakia.     

Haploid plants regenerated via anther culture in wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum C. Kock)

Summary Androgenic plants have been obtained via anther culture in four natural populations of Hordeum spontaneum. Microscopic observations revealed that androgenesis started with the formation of two vegetative-type nuclei derived from the mitotic division of the uninucleate microspores. In this species androgenesis was affected by the type and concentration of the sugars added to the culture medium: the highest response (17% of callusing anthers) was observed on media containing 80 g l^–1 maltose. The highest production of androgenic plants (per 100 anthers, 5.9 green and 4.3 albino plants) was obtained from callus grown on these same media. About half of the green plants regenerated were haploid, while the others were diploid and set seed.Abbreviations IAA indolacetic acid - BAP 6-benzylaminopurine     

Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme activity in pre-eclamptic pregnancy: evidence for a relative hypermesorACEemia

The circadian rhythm of serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity was investigated in pregnant women with normal and pre-eclamptic gestation. The chronobiological approach was able to document the occurrence of a circadian rhythm for serum ACE activity in normal pregnancy. Such a rhythm is characterized by a decreased mesor and amplitude and a shifted crest. The circadian rhythm for serum ACE activity was not detectable in pre-eclamptic pregnancy. Such an abrogation is accompanied by a negligible decrease of mesor suggesting the occurrence of a relative hyperACEemia. This disorder could play a role in pregnancy-induced hypertension.     

In vitro meristem culture of M.4 apple (Malus pumila Mill.). I. Optimal nutrient medium

Shoot tips of M.4 apple clone were excised from actively growing one year-old stoolbed branches, and cultured in order to determine the optimal nutrient medium for each stage of their in vitro culture. The basal medium (BM) used was that described by Murashige and Skoog, supplemented with vitamins, glycine, myoinositol, sucrose, with or without agar, and different combinations of plant growth regulators. Best media for each stage were: BM+0.5 mg 1^-1 indole-3yl-butyric acid (IBA)+0.5 mg 1^-1 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) for explant establishment (Stage I); BM+0.1 mg 1^-1 IBA+1.0 mg 1^-1 BAP for multiplication and internode enlargement (Stage II); and 2.0 mg 1^-1 IBA+0.1 mg 1^-1 BAP without agar for the rooting of the plantlets (Stage III).