Testicular toxicity and mutagenicity of steroidal and non-steroidal estrogens in the male mouse.

The mutagenicity and toxicity of diethylstilbestrol (DES), 17 beta-estradiol and zeranol on the male mouse germ cells were investigated with meiotic micronucleus assays in vivo and in vitro, sperm-head abnormality test and morphometry. Further, the developmental effects of DES on testicular morphology were explored. Micronucleus induction was observed at 10(-7) M concentration of DES and 17 beta-estradiol in vitro, but other treatments yielded negative results. The micronucleus assay in vivo revealed a small number of micronuclei in early haploid spermatids 17 days after a single subcutaneous injection of DES 50 mg/kg, whereas estradiol and zeranol gave negative results. The sperm-head abnormality rates were significantly elevated 5 weeks after treatments with high doses of DES, 17 beta-estradiol and zeranol, and testicular morphometry revealed transient changes in the volume densities of testicular tissue components. Prenatal and neonatal estrogen administration resulted in permanent alterations in seminiferous epithelium and dilatation of the rete testis, but did not affect micronucleus or sperm-head abnormality rates. The mutagenicity and toxicity of hormones in the mouse testis paralleled the hormonal activity of these compounds. Early estrogenization was the most sensitive toxicity test, followed by in vitro meiotic micronucleus induction, whereas the sperm-head abnormality assay and morphological analysis did not reveal subtle changes.     

Organotin compounds induce aneuploidy in human peripheral lymphocytes in vitro

In vitro exposure of PHA-stimulated human lymphocytes to organotin compounds resulted in statistically significant increases in the frequencies of hyperdiploid cells. When taken together with our previous study demonstrating spindle inhibiting effects of the same organotin compounds by an indirect method (Jensen et al., 1989), the present study strongly indicates that organotin compounds are able to induce aneuploidy, probably by affecting spindle function.     

Fractionation of eukaryotic DNA in a pulsating electrical field. I. Detection and properties of discrete DNA fragments]

The fractionation of eukaryotic DNA by field inversion gel electrophoresis results in the appearance of discrete DNA-fragments. The set of these fragments is similar to that of different eukaryotic representatives and consists of various chromosomal DNAs, unified by size. The physical properties of DNA-fragments suggest that they can form multimeric structures due to the presence of sticky ends flanking discrete fragments. We suppose that the set of discrete DNA-fragments results in a specific cleavage of intact nuclear DNA and can reflect different levels of chromatin structural organization.     

Immunological identification of yeast SCO1 protein as a component of the inner mitochondrial membrane

Summary The SCO1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes a 30 kDa protein which is specifically required for a post-translational step in the accumulation of subunits 1 and 2 of cytochrome c oxidase (COXI and COXII). Antibodies directed against a -Gal::SCO1 fusion protein detect SCO1 in the mitochondrial fraction of yeast cells. The SCO1 protein is an integral membrane protein as shown by its resistance to alkaline extraction and by its solubilization properties upon treatment with detergents. Based on the results obtained by isopycnic sucrose gradient centrifugation and by digitonin treatment of mitochondria, SCO1 is a component of the inner mitochondrial membrane. Membrane localization is mediated by a stretch of 17 hydrophobic amino acids in the amino-terminal region of the protein. A truncated SCO1 derivative lacking this segment, is no longer bound to the membrane and simultaneously loses its biological function. The observation that membrane localization of SCO1 is affected in mitochondria of a rho ⁰ strain, hints at the possible involvement of mitochondrially coded components in ensuring proper membrane insertion.     

RNA and DNA synthesis catalyzed by a DNA-polymerase alpha complex with primase from silkworm cells on single-stranded DNA]

Depending on the ionic environment the replicative complex of silkworm Bombyx mori, containing DNA polymerase alpha and primase, catalyzes on single-stranded DNA of phage M13 a NTP-dependent synthesis or elongation of preformed primers. In the presence of NTPs and dNTPs at conditions optimal for the NTP-dependent synthesis the replicative complex synthesizes on M13 DNA oligoribonucleotides of 9-11 residues, which serve as primers for polymerization of DNA. The length of RNA-primers synthesized by primase of the complex depends on concentration of dNTP but does not depend on activity of DNA polymerase alpha. During elongation of exogenic primers annealed to M13 DNA the complex is processive synthesizing DNA fragments of dozens residues without dissociation from the template. Double-stranded structures in DNA such as "hairpins" appear to be barriers for driving of the complex along the template and cause pauses in elongation. DNA-binding proteins the SSB of Escherichia coli or the p32 of phage T4 destabilize double-stranded regions in DNA and eliminate elongation pauses corresponding to these regions. The replicative complex is able to fill in single-stranded gaps in DNA completely and to perform slowly the synthesis with displacement of one of parent strands in duplexes via repeated cycles of binding to the primer-template, limited elongation and dissociation.     

Binding of SSB-protein from Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells with DNA and polyribonucleotides]

Binding of SSB-protein from Ehrlich ascites tumor to ssDNA from M13 phage leads to its compactization. The structure of the complex at the protein/DNA ratios far from the saturation level looks like "beads-on the string". DNA that was fully saturated with protein forms collapsed globular structure. Binding of the protein to the dsDNA from phage lambda increases its flexibility and decreases the coil dimensions; no "beads-on the string" structure are seen. The protein possess slight destabilizing effect on hairpin helices of M13DNA. Competition studies demonstrate that the binding properties of protein with polyribonucleotide lattices and DNA's decrease in ranking as follows: poly(rG) greater than or equal to poly(rI) greater than or equal to ssDNA greater than dsDNA greater than poly(rA) congruent to approximately poly(rU). Thus SSB-protein from Ehrlich ascites tumor differs significantly from its presumed prokaryotic analogs.     

Examinations of cell mediated immunity in diffuse peritonitis]

Phagocytic index and rosette test E have been determined in 50 patients, including 15 with diffuse peritonitis and the noncomplicated diffuse peritonitis, 20 patients with septic complications, and 15 patients who underwent abdominal surgery. It was found, that phagocytic index is decreased in all patients after abdominal surgery. The most marked decrease of this index was found in patients with complicated peritonitis. It still decreases in the course of peritonitis and increases in the reference group. The marked decrease in the number of T-cells was observed in complicated peritonitis during the whole period of follow-up while it normalizes in case of noncomplicated peritonitis as in the reference group. Using the tests under study it was possible to assess cell-mediated immunity which is depressed in peritonitis. The tests enable also the prediction of septic complications of peritonitis.     

Results of treating acute myeloblastic leukemia in patients over 60 years of age

An efficiency of the acute myeloblastic leukemia therapy has been assessed in 79 patients aged over 60 years. Twenty six patients out of this group have been treated with usual or reduced doses of doxorubicin and cytarabine (ADR-Ara-C) 35--low doses of cytarabine (LD Ara-C), 11-6-mercaptopurine (6 MP), and 7 patients died before chemotherapy. Complete remission in group treated with ADR-Ara-C was achieved in 23% of patients while partial remission in 42%. Median survival in this group was 5.8 months (range from 0.5 to 16 months). Percentage of the complete remissions in the group treated with LD-Ara-C was 6%, and partial remissions 40%. Median survival was 4.7 months (range from 0.5 to 14.2 months). Partial remission in 5 out of 11 patients treated with 6 MP (36%) and no complete remissions were noted. Median survival was 3.9 months. Therapy with ADR-Ara-C produced marked leucopenia and thrombocytopenia in the majority of treated patients. Vomiting, hemorrhagic complications, and bacterial infections have also been noted. These adverse reactions have been less frequent in patients treated with LD-Ara-C, and 6 MP. Ten patients (38%) treated with ADR-Ara-C and 7 patients treated with LD-Ara-C died during remission inducing therapy.