Alkaline phosphatase expression in human cell lines derived from primary hepatomas

Isozyme patterns of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were electrophoretically examined in human cell lines derived from one hepatoblastoma, five hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) and two cholangiocellular carcinomas. Most of the cell lines tested had a liver-type ALP isozyme. In addition, an abnormal ALP isozyme, which was similar to variant ALP, was detected in one hepatoblastoma and two HCC cell lines. One HCC cell line of these variant-like ALP-positive cell lines was alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-negative. These findings suggest that variant-like ALP may be useful for the identification of human hepatoma cell lines, especially in AFP or albumin-negative cell lines.     

Cytokeratin expression in human cell lines derived from liver tumors.

Immunohistochemical staining of cell lines derived from human liver tumours showed that five cell lines derived from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and hepatoblastoma were stained positively with monoclonal keratin antibodies, CK-5 (Ker-18-specific) and KL-1 (broad specificity), but not with CK-7 (Ker-7-specific). On the other hand, four carcinoma cell lines derived from the biliary system were stained positively with not only CK-5 and KL-1, but also CK-7.     

Polylactide Degradation by an Amycolatopsis sp

By applying the plate count and clear-zone methods, it was confirmed that polylactide (PLA)-degrading microorganisms are sparsely distributed in soil environments. An Amycolatopsis isolate was successfully isolated. Microbial degradation of PLA film was demonstrated; i.e., about 60% of the 100-mg film initially added was degraded by the strain after 14 days of liquid culture.     

Influence of the microsomal inducer and the incubation system on mutagenicity of complex mixtures.

The mutagenicity of SRM 1649 and 1650 was tested in the presence of rat liver S9 mix which was induced by polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) or by the combination of phenobarbital and 5,6-benzoflavone. The S9 mix induced by PCB activated benzo[a]pyrene strongly. The S9 mix induced by phenobarbital-5,6-benzoflavone activated the complex mixtures to approximately the same extent as that induced by PCB. This finding indicates that phenobarbital-5,6-benzoflavone instead of PCB may be suitable as an inducer under some conditions. The preincubation procedure for the mutagenicity test was performed by preincubating the test compound, S9 mix and bacteria for 20 min in a water bath. This procedure was as effective as the plate incorporation test.     

Mutagenic/carcinogenic agents in indoor pollutants; the dinitropyrenes generated by kerosene heaters and fuel gas and liquefied petroleum gas burners

Incomplete combustion of kerosene heater, and fuel gas and liquefied petroleum gas-burner emissions produces indoor pollutants that may be carcinogenic. The incomplete-combustion products from each type of appliance were therefore collected by adsorption on about 3 g of XAD-2 resin, and were extracted with benzene-methanol as a solvent for determination and identification of mutagens in the Salmonella-microsome test system. Benzene-methanol extracts of the particulates generated by a heater and two burners showed extreme mutagenicity for strains TA97 and TA98 without S9 mix. Based on the results of analysis, a combination of high performance liquid chromatography (h.p.l.c.) and gas chromatography (GC), about 40-80% of the direct-acting mutagenicity in each crude extract showed the same h.p.l.c. and GC retention times as dinitropyrenes (1,3-, 1,6- and 1,8-isomers), and 1-nitropyrene. Moreover, other nitroarenes, 2-nitrofluorene, 1,5- and 1,8-dinitronaphthalene, and 4,4'-dinitrobiphenyl, were detectable in almost all samples, but their contribution to the mutagenicity of each extract was very low. Kerosene heaters were found to generate small amounts (0.2 ng/h) of dinitropyrenes, which are potential mutagens/carcinogens, only after 1 h of operation.     

Synthesis of vinyl arabinose ester catalyzed by protease from Streptomyces sp.

The transesterification of 0.5 M divinyladipate with 0.25 M arabinose in dimethylformamide for 7 days was catalyzed by Streptomyces sp. alkaline protease to give 5-O-vinyladipoyl-d-arabinofuranose at ca. 50% yield. Only enzymatic transesterification of primary hydroxyl group of arabinofuranose proceeded without esterification of arabinopyranose.