Adduct formation is involved in radiosensitization, mediated by cytochrome c, of phi X174 DNA by misonidazole

Radiosensitization by misonidazole of biologically active phi X174 DNA, mediated by cytochrome c, is most probably at least partly due to formation of an adduct between sensitizer and DNA, which can be removed from the DNA by a mild alkaline treatment thereby restoring the activity of the DNA.     

Biological activity ofTreponema hyodysenteriae hemolysin

The biological properties ofTreponema hyodysenteriae hemolysin (TH), which in some aspects resembles streptolysin S, were studied. Aside from different erythrocyte species, TH had no lytic activity on prokaryotic (protoplasts and spheroplasts) and eukaryotic (Chinese hamster ovary and spleen) cells. However, TH decreased the response of spleen cells to concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide. In vivo, TH was found to induce fluid accumulation in ligated rat ileal loops as well as histological modifications similar to those observed in the swine dysentery. These results further differentiate TH from streptolysin S, and suggest that it is a new oxygen-resistant hemolysin produced by a Gram-negative bacterium.     

The adjuvant effect of stearyl tyrosine on a recombinant subunit hepatitis B surface antigen

We describe the enhancement of the antibody response against hepatitis B surface Ag by octadecyl L-tyrosine, a synthetic adjuvant designed to exert its adjuvant effect in a manner similar to that of alum because it binds soluble Ag and releases it slowly from the site of injection. Our data demonstrate that octadecyl L-tyrosine showed a significant enhancement of the antihepatitis B surface Ag response compared to that of alum in the secondary response. The most striking difference between octadecyl L-tyrosine and alum in the antihepatitis B surface Ag antibody response was the absence of IgE-specific antibodies subsequent to immunization of the Ag in octadecyl L-tyrosine. Both the optical isomers of the octadecyl esters of tyrosine were adjuvant active, however, the racemic mixture showed a significantly lowe adjuvant activity. This adjuvant has great potential to be used in humans because it is devoid of side effects as assessed by the lack of acute and chronic toxicity in mice and rats, pyrogenicity in rabbits, formation of granuloma in cats, and adjuvant arthritis in rats.