Comparative analysis of membrane glycoproteins of normal and chronic lymphatic leukemia B lymphocytes by lectins

Eight plant lectins were used to investigate membrane alterations in lymphocytes from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). By rosetting with lectins attached to latex particles, the cell percentages with the abundance of each lectin receptor were compared in B normal and leukemic lymphocytes. Comparing these data with the number of lectin molecules bound to each cell and the affinity, which are values calculated with 125I-labeled lectins, it was possible to deduce differences in the composition of glycoproteins in B normal and B-CLL lymphocytes membrane. Compared to B normal, B-CLL lymphocytes had fewer receptors for WGA and more for Lens culinaris, SBA and Tetragonolobus purpureus lectins. Receptors for Concanavalin A, Pisum sativum, PHA and Tetragonolobus purpureus showed a higher affinity with B normal lymphocytes, while the other lectins assayed showed more affinity with B-CLL lymphocytes. So, it is possible to establish a comparative analysis about the plasma membrane glycoproteins in the B normal and CLL lymphocytes by lectin binding studies.     

Characterization of the biosynthesis in vivo of α-aminoadipyl-cysteinyl-valine inPenicillium chrysogenum

Summary The parameters affecting the formation in vivo of -aminoadipyl-cysteinyl-valine (ACV), an intermediate in penicillin biosynthesis, have been established in low- and high-penicillin producing strains ofPenicillium chrysogenum. ACV was found both in cell extracts and in the culture broth filtrates. (¹⁴C)valine, -(¹⁴C)aminoadipic acid and (¹⁴C)cysteine were efficiently incorporated into ACV. Formation of ACV was stimulated by phenylacetic acid when added during the growth of the culture. ACV biosynthesis was enhanced when protein synthesis was blocked with cycloheximide or anisomicin. The ACV-synthesising activity of the culture increased between 24 and 48 h of the culture preceeding penicillin biosynthesis, and remained constant thereafter. A decay of ACV-forming activity was observed when de novo protein synthesis was inhibited with cycloheximide. The apparent half-life of the ACV-synthesising enzyme system was 2.5 h.     

Effect of rhodium (III) complex on experimental carcinogenesis in the livers of rats treated with thioacetamide

Enzyme activities and protein content were determined in the cytosolic and mitochondrial fractions of liver homogenates obtained from Rh(III) complex-, thioacetamide- and thioacetamide + Rh(III) complex-treated rats. The Rh(III) complex administered to nonthioacetamide-treated rats produced no significant changes either in the enzymatic activities assayed or in the protein concentration. The Rh(III) complex administered to thioacetamide-treated rats produced significant restoration of the following altered values: cytosolic and mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase, glutamate dehydrogenase, NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase, and protein concentration. However, a further increase was produced in the activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme. These increases can be interpreted in terms of an enhancement of the NADPH-dependent detoxifying processes and of nucleic acid synthesis and repair.     

Infertility associated with two accessory bisatellited chromosomes

Summary Two extra bisatellited chromosome identified as inv dup (15) (pterq11.2::q11.2pter) were found in an oligoasthenospermic male. Analysis of Ag-staining in the proband and in one fertile brother with a normal karyotype revealed that nucleolar organizer region (NOR) activity was significantly increased in the patient. The frequency of satellite associations was also significantly higher in the index case, but no correlation was found between NOR activity and acrocentric associations. These results suggest that extra NOR activity and the elevated frequency of satellite associations could predispose to gametogenic impairment.     

Chromosome pairing in female and male diploid and polyploid anurans (Amphibia) from South America

Chromosome pairing in females and males of diploid (2n = 22) and tetraploid (2n = 44) Odontophrynus americanus and diploid Ceratophrys cranwelli (2n = 26) and tetraploid C. ornata (2n = 104) showed that diploid females formed more chiasmata per paired arm than diploid males and polyploids of both sexes. There was a reduction in the level of recombination in female polyploids by forming multivalents with terminal chiasmata. The reduction reflected a change in the genetic control of pairing in females after polyploidization.     

PLASTID DEVELOPMENT IN IOJAP- AND CHLOROPLAST MUTATOR-AFFECTED MAIZE PLANTS

Plastids affected by either iojap or chloroplast mutator fail to green, and altered plastids are maternally transmitted to subsequent generations. The ultrastructure of iojap-affected plastids indicates that these plastids contain no ribosomes and are capable of supporting little internal membrane organization in either light or dark-grown plants. Chloroplast mutator-affected plastids of light-grown plants contain some organized internal membrane structures. In dark-grown plants, chloroplast mutator-aftected plastids contain a crystalline prolamellar body, numerous vesicles, and osmiophilic granules. The chloroplast mutator-affecled etioplasts display an abnormal distribution of lamellar membranes; these membranes, rather than radiating in a spokelike pattern from the prolamellar body, are condensed into a portion of the organelle. Light causes disruption of the prolamellar body in chloroplast mutator-affected plastids without promoting the organization of a normal thylakoid membrane system. The effects of iojap and chloroplast mutator are cell autonomous and apparently influence the individual plastid, as evidenced by the persistence of heteroplastidic cells containing normal and affected plastids.     

EVIDENCE FOR THE OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF INORGANIC POLYPHOSPHATES IN VERTEBRATE TISSUES

Evidence for the occurrence of polyphosphates having apparent chain-lengths ranging from less than 10 to over 5000 orthophosphate units has been found in adult brain as well as in a number of other mammalian tissues which have been examined. There appears to be three times as much polyphosphate in rat brain as there is in rat liver. Adult rat brain appears to contain at least 15 μg of phosphorus as polyphosphate per g of fresh tissue. In addition, neural polyphosphate is extremely labile to catabolic degradation after death whereas hepatic polyphosphate is relatively more stable. The nature of this inorganic polymer was elucidated through use of the technique of ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Further structural evidence was obtained by application of the isotopic dilution technique to ³²P-labelled neural polyphosphate mixed with an abiotically prepared inorganic polyphosphate. The conditions and rates of hydrolysis of the biological polyphosphate and a non-biological polyphosphate were comparable.     

Metabolism of 35S-labelled Antithyroid Drugs in Man

Differences in the metabolic fate of antithyroid drugs influence the optimal frequency of administration and their therapeutic efficacy. ³⁵S propylthiouracil differed from the ³⁵S imidazoles (carbimazole and methimazole) in the more rapid absorption and excretion and the shorter biological half-life in the plasma of the former. Renal function may have a more important influence on the biological half-life of the drugs than thyroid status. Further work is required to determine the optimal frequency of administration for each compound.