Enhanced susceptibility of target KMT-17 cells to activated macrophages by treatment with the antitumor agent bleomycin

Summary We observed that after KMT-17 cells had been treated with bleomycin (BLM), even with a dose as high as 160 g/ml, they were still able to form colonies in soft agar. We then studied the susceptibility of KMT-17 cells treated with BLM to activated macrophages. During a colony inhibition assay, BLM-treated KMT-17 cells were found to be much more susceptile to activated macrophages than nontreated KMT-17 cells, moreover, a tumor neutralizing assay showed that the growth of BLM-treated KMT-17 cells was also significantly inhibited by activated macrophages as compared with nontreated KMT-17 cells. Macrophages activated by both BLM and the Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton were able to mediate such tumor inhibition activity in BLM-treated KMT-17 cells. Activated macrophages did not seem to have strong antitumor activity against nontreated KMT-17 cells in vivo, however, the life span of the rats which were inoculated i. p. with KMT-17 cells was significantly expanded after the tumorbearing rats were given BLM i.p. The data presented here suggest that not only does BLM have a direct tumoricidal effect on KMT-17 cells, it also regulates immunosensitivity of targets to immune effectors. We also discuss the mechanism for enhancing the susceptibility of KMT-17 cells to activated macrophages brought about by treatment with BLM.Supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid for Cancer Research from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture     

Diurnal K+ and Anion Transport in Phaseolus Pulvinus

Diurnal movement of Phaseolus leaf is caused by deformationof the laminar pulvinus located at the joint of the leaf bladeand the petiole. The plants were cultured in solutions withvarious ion compositions, and changes of K⁺, Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺,Cl^–, NO₃– and P₁ concentrations both in the upperand lower parts of the laminar pulvinus were measured. Culturein 10 mM KCl solution caused an increase in K⁺ and Cl^–concentrations both in the upper and lower parts without anysignificant change in the concentration of NO₃^–; culturein 10 mM KNO₃ solution caused an increase in K⁺ and NO₃^–concentration without any significant change in the concentrationof Cl^–; and culture in 10 mM KH₂PO₄ solution caused anincrease in K⁺ and P₁ concentrations without any significantchange in the concentrations of NO₃- and Cl^–. K⁺ moved from the upper to lower parts or from the lower toupper parts diurnally in all plants cultured in any solutionmentioned above. The main inorganic anion that accompanied thisK⁺ movement was Cl^– in KCl solution, and NO₃^– inKNO₃ solution. When the seedlings were cultured in distilledwater or in KH₂PO₄ solution, neither Cl^– NO₃^– norP₁ accompanied this K⁺ movement. In these cases, mainly H⁺ and/ororganic anions are supposed to move in exchange for and/or incombination with K⁺ movement. (Received November 8, 1982; Accepted June 13, 1983)     

Mutants of Group D1Salmonella Carrying the Somatic Antigen of Group A Organisms: Isolation and Serological Characterization

O antigen mutants were obtained from Salmonella durban, a group D(1) organism, by treatment with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. Serological studies demonstrated that the mutants lost the O-9 antigen factor of the parent organism but acquired the O-2 factor specific to group A Salmonella. Lipopolysaccharides of the mutant strains contained paratose which determines the specificity of O-2 factor. Tyvelose, present in the wild-type lipopolysaccharide, was not found in the mutants. H antigens and other biological characteristics of the mutant strains were the same as those of the wild-type organism. The present finding implies that group A Salmonella species might be derived from group D(1) organisms.     

Stimulating effects of insulin and low-density lipoprotein on cell growth and macromolecular syntheses of HeLa cells cultured in K(+)-depleted medium

The influence of the intracellular K+ concentration on the effects of growth factors (insulin, EGF, hydrocortisone, and transferrin) and LDL on growth of HeLa cells was investigated. Upon replacement of K+ in a chemically defined medium (K(+)-CDM) by Rb+ (Rb(+)-CDM), about 80% of the intracellular K+ was replaced by Rb+ within 24 h, but showed no further change in the next 24 h, irrespective of addition of dialyzed calf serum (5%) or growth factors to the medium. In Rb(+)-CDM, cell growth and DNA synthesis were greatly suppressed, although cell viability was not significantly altered for 72 h. The suppression of cell growth was partially restored by addition of serum, insulin (5 micrograms/ml), or LDL (2.5 mg/ml) to Rb(+)-CDM. A combination of serum and insulin or insulin and LDL stimulated cell growth to approximately the level in K(+)-CDM without any addition, but a combination of serum and LDL did not have more effect than that of serum alone. Unexpectedly, other factors were ineffective in stimulating growth in Rb(+)-CDM. In Rb(+)-CDM, the effect of insulin was lost in 24-48 h, whereas that of LDL persisted for at least 96 h. Insulin and LDL also enhanced growth in K(+)-CDM. After cessation of cell growth in Rb(+)-CDM for 24 h, addition of insulin and/or LDL markedly restored cell growth and DNA synthesis. Therefore, insulin and LDL may stimulate certain mechanisms required for cell growth that can operate in K(+)-deficient conditions.     

Initiation and solicitation in male-female grooming in a wild Japanese macaque troop on yakushima island

Grooming initiation among adult males and females of a Japanese macaque troop was analyzed during the non-mating season. Some gestures (“solicitation”) elicited grooming from partners at a high rate. Grooming initiation patterns were divided into two main types: (1) a male often solicited a female to groom him immediately after approaching her and was groomed by her; and (2) a female approached an alpha male selectively, and immediately groomed him. After a female groomed a male, she rarely solicited him to groom her and instead often moved away from him. These results indicated that males were motivated to be groomed, while females were more highly motivated to groom. Sex differences in grooming motivation can be explained by sex differences in the benefit to be groomed.     

The vasculature of the peroneal tissue transfer

Peroneal vascularized composite-tissue transfer has many useful applications and advantages. An anatomic study of the peroneal artery and vein and their branches was carried out on 80 adult cadaver legs. The number of cutaneous branches averaged 4.8 +/- 1.4 per leg. The length of the cutaneous branches averaged 5.4 +/- 1.5 cm. The external diameters of cutaneous branches at the skin distribution site were 0.6 +/- 0.2 mm for the artery and 0.8 +/- 0.3 mm for the vein. The communicating branches were branched at anterior or posterior tibial vessels 6.1 +/- 2.4 cm proximal to the lateral malleolus. The range of rotation of the island flap when transposed proximally was 14.3 +/- 3.3 cm proximal from the head of the fibula, and when transposed distally, the range of rotation was 16.9 +/- 5.3 cm distally.     

The primary structure of human Rieske iron-sulfur protein of mitochondrial cytochrome bc1 complex deduced from cDNA analysis

We isolated a cDNA encoding human Rieske Fe-S protein of mitochondrial cytochrome bc1 complex from a fibroblast cDNA library by colony hybridization. The cDNA contains the nucleotide sequence encoding all of the amino acids (274 residues) comprising the putative precursor to the protein. Based on the known amino acid sequence of bovine Rieske Fe-S protein, the N-terminal extension sequence is presumed to be composed of 78 amino acids with a molecular weight of 8053. The mature protein consists of the same number of amino acid residues as that of its rat and bovine counterparts, having a homology of about 92% with the latter.     

Amino acid sequence of myoglobin from the molluscBursatella leachii

The complete amino acid sequence of myoglobin from the triturative stomach of gastropodic molluscBursatella leachii has been determined. It is composed of 146 amino acid residues, is acetylated at the N-terminus, and contains a single histidine residue at position 95 which corresponds to the heme-binding proximal histidine. The E7 distal histidine, which is conserved widely in myoglobins and hemoglobins, is replaced by valine inBursatella myoglobin. The amino acid sequence ofBursatella myoglobin shows strong homology (73–84%) with those ofAplysia andDolabella myoglobins.     

Expression of NADH-Dependent Glutamate Synthase in Response to the Supply of Nitrogen in Rice Cells in Suspension Culture

The effects of inorganic and organic nitrogen on the levelsof mRNA for NADH-dependent glutamate synthase (GOGAT) and theprotein were examined in rice cells in suspension culture. Asupply of NH⁺₄, NO^-₃, glutamine, or asparagine induced the accumulationof the protein and mRNA, but levels of mRNA for ferredoxin-GOGATwere hardly affected. ¹Present address: P.C. Center Wakuya-cho, Toda-gun, Miyagi,Japan.