Effect of insulin on acetate metabolism in chicken adipocytes

The effects of insulin on the metabolism of acetate-U-14C in isolated chicken adipocytes have been investigated. Insulin added in vitro at physiological concentrations did not stimulate the incorporation of acetate-U-14C into triglycerides or CO2 when the acetate was present alone. In the presence of glucose 11m M, however, insulin stimulated significantly lipogenesis from acetate. This is an indirect action mediated by glucose.

Immunogenetic studies of H-2 antigens of MCG 3 tumour cells

MCG 3 is a B 10(H-2b) sarcoma induced as a solid tumour with 0.2 mg of methylcholantrene in our laboratory. The ascites form obtained was used to study the expression of H-2 antigeneic specificities in a postlabelling radioassay. H-2D.2, H-2K.33 (private specificities of H-2b) and H-2.28, H-2.35 (public specificities) were normally expressed for MCG 3 while H-2.5, H-2.29, H-2.36 (public specificities) were abnormally absent. These results were confirmed by quantitative absorption analysis using MCG 3 and positive-negative normal lymphoid cells for a particular specificity.

Effects of depot testosterone administration on serum levels of testosterone, FSH, LH and prolactin

The effects of the administration of testosterone on plasma testosterone (T), estradiol (E), FSH, LH and prolactin (PRL) were tested in a group of men, aged over sixty. Blood samples were collected on the 2nd, 4th, 7th and 15th day afterr the administration of testosterone propionate (TP) (n = 28 men) and testosterone propionate with testosterone enantate (TP + TE) (n = 21 men). After the administration of TP + TE plasma T increased on days 2-4, returned to the normal basal level on the 7th day, and rose again on the 15th day. With the TP preparation the levels of testosterone remained elevated during the first seven days and returned to the basal values by the 15th day. The FSH and LH were suppressed during the first seven days after the injection of both TP and TP + TE preparations. On the 15th day gonadotropins were suppressed only by the administration of TP. The plasma concentration of E behaved like that of T. We found a significant increase in the PRL levels on the 4th day after treatment with 100 mg of the two preparations. Moreover, we found that PRL basal values were significantly higher in those subjects whose T basal values were low.

A comparative study between Fc receptor bearing cells and antibody dependent cell cytotoxicity in cancer patients

The capacity of 14 cancer patients lymphoid cells to destroy antibody-coated target cells (antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity ADCC), and to form rosettes with immunoglobulin-coated erythrocytes (EA) was compared. The lymphocyte functions were investigated immediately prior to chemo-immunotherapy. Our observations show a correlation between the percentage of EA-rosette forming cells and ADCC activity of cancer patients and controls. However, the regressive lines were different in both groups. Interestingly, cancer patients with a lower. EA rosette forming cells than controls, showed higher cytotoxic activity.

The effect of orthostatism, passive tilting and recumbent exercise on renin release

Three postural tests, orthostatism, passive tilting and recumbent exercise, were applied to fourteen normal volunteers. Orthostatism and tilting produce a significant increase in plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma renin concentration (PRC), without changes in plasma renin substrate concentration (PSC). Recumbent exercise induces an inhibition of PRA and PRC and does not changes PSC. The present study seems to suggest that sympathetic activity and intravascular blood volume could play an important role in the responses of the renin-angiotensin system to postural changes.

Effect of insulin in vivo on the synthesis of free fatty acids (FFA) in chicken heart and skeletal muscle

The effect of insulin on the synthesis of free fatty acids from glucose in the skeletal and heart muscles of chicken is examined. 10 min after glucose-(U-14C) administration, labeled free fatty acids (FFA) appeared in both skeletal and heart muscles. 0.75 IU of insulin kg-1 b. wt significantly increased the labeled FFA at the 30, 60 and 120 min intervals, with a maximum at 60 min.

Insulin effects on glucose utilization by human lymphocytes

In recently isolated human lymphocytes, no effect of insulin on (U-14C) glucose incorporation into CO2, triglycerides and glycogen, was found over a wide range of insulin concentration. The rates of glucose oxidation, synthesis of triglycerides and synthesis of glycogen are much lower than those observed in chicken and rat adipocytes. The authors discard the possibility of using the human lymphocyte as an instrument in the study of the insulin action on normal and altered human physiology.

Plasma steroid and protein hormone concentrations in patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy and in normal men

Serum levels of testosterone, FSH, LH and prolactin were measured by RIA in patients with BPH (benign prostatic hypertrophy) and in control men. The testosterone concentrations in the BPH group were significantly lower than that of the control group. Serum concentrations of FSH, LH, prolactin and estradiol, did not differ significantly in the 2 groups.

The effect of human placental lactogen upon the metabolism of rat and human adipose tissue

The metabolic effects of human placental lactogen (HPL) on rat and human white fat were tested in vitro. When tested against rat tissue, HPL resembled insulin in stimulating uptake of glucose and incorporation of [14C] glucose into CO2, triglyceride and glycogen, but differed from insulin in stimulating glycerol release and in failing to stimulate the incorporation of [14C] The stimulation of [14C] glucose incorporation and the inhibition of glycerol release by insulin were antagonized by HPL. The effects of HPL on human white fat resembled those on rat white fat,except that glycerol release was not stimulated in human tissue. The possible role of HPL in causing the diabetogenic stress of pregnancy is discussed in the light of these findings.

[Strain-specific antigens detected on murine tumour cells by means of rabbit heteroantisera (author's transl)]

The rabbit heteroantisera anti-Meth A sarcoma (H-2d) (RAMA) and rabbit anti-RBL-5 leukemia (H-2b) (RAR-5) have been used to study the presence of normal strain antigens on the surface of different murine tumour cells. RAR-5 detected H-2-like structures on TLX9 (H-bb) lymphoma, however RAMA did not on LSTRA leukemia (H-2d) mastocytoma. Neither RAR-5 nor RAMA contained antibodies against non-H-2 and differentiation antigens.

[Effects of postural changes and volume depletion on renin-angiotensin system (author's transl)]

The effects of orthostatism and furosemide tests on different parameters of renin-angiotensin system have been studied in 14 normal human subjects. Both tests produced a significant increase in plasma renin activity and plasma renin concentration. Plasma substrate concentration was slightly, but significantly, increased on the furosemide test. Plasma aldosterone rose in both tests, while aldosterone urinary excretion decreased after orthostatism and increased after furosemide.

[Hypophyso-gonadal function in infancy. From newborn to puberty (author's transl)]

Serum levels of testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone have been measured in 216 healthy children (104 boys and 102 girls) divided in 9 groups from newborn to puberty. Testosterone serum concentrations were significantly higher in boys than in girls during the first 4 months after birth. Testosterone values were highest in 1 to 2 month old boys. Serum concentrations of both FSH and LH changed in different patterns in both sexes. During the first 4 years FSH concentrations were significantly higher in girls than in boys. During the first 4 months, however, LH concentrations were higher in boys than in girls.

H-2 typing of RBL-5, TLX/9 tumour cells and L929 fibroblast

The H-2 specificities in two different H-2b tumour cells (TLX/9 and RBL-5) and a fibroblast line L929 (H-2k) have been studied. Tumour cells were passaged intraperitoneally in syngeneic mice and fibroblast was kept in vitro at 36 degrees C. The typing was performed by means of a postlabelling microradioassay for actively growing cells and 28 H-2 alloantisera of restricted specificity defining private H-2K, H-2D and public antigens. Unexpected reactions in disagreement with H-2 genetics were detected in both tumours but not in fibroblast line. The latter shed C-type particles whereas RBL-5 did not. The cytotoxicity of the alloantisera was quantitatively absorbed by normal lymphoid cells, although some extrareactivities were due to other antibodies present in the sera. RBL-5 grew in mice of different H-2 haplotypes with the same intensity as in syngeneic animals.

Study of a set of chromatographic parameters for the determination of estrogens

Optimum chromatographic parameters for the separation and detection of estrogen TMS derivatives are described. Estrogens are best separated by using a 2 m glass column with 1% SE-30 load; an 8' iso temperature program, 230 degrees C, 3 degrees C/min, 296 degrees C; 24 ml/min nitrogen flow; 33 ml/min hydrogen flow and 1.5 Kg/cm2 air pressure.

[Determination of serum testosterone using radioimmunoanalysis without previous extraction]

A modification to the radiochemical assay method to measure testosterone in serum, that renders unnecessary the extraction of testosterone from a serum sample is described. The serum is heated at 60 degrees C for 1 hour, thereby testosterone binding proteins are destroyed, then radioimmunoassay follows as usual.

An immunological study of nine proteins in CSF and serum of a group of epileptic patients

The concentrations of nine proteins, alpha-1-acid glycoprotein, antitrypsin, prealbumin, transferrin, albumin, IgG, ceruloplasmin, IgA and alpha-2-macroglobulin, have been determined in the serum and CSF of two groups of patients, one control and one experimental, by an immunological method. The experimental group were patients suffering from grand mal epilepsy. The control group showed no detectable neurological disorder. In the group of grand mal epileptics, only prealbumin showed a significant elevation in CSF when compared with the control group. In contrast, the rest of the proteins are decreased with respect to the controls except for alpha 1-acid glycoprotein and transferrin. The results from this study also suggest that something more than an ultrafiltration process dependent upon molecular weight, is important in determining the concentration of some serum proteins in the CSF.

[Serum levels of testosterone, follicie-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone in normal human males (author's transl)]

The serum levels of testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) have been measured in healthy man of different ages to stablish their normal values in the population of Granada. The serum levels of testosterone, FSH and LH have been compared to each other in each age group. No clear relation between these hormones was found at any age.

Studies on T cells in newborns. Higher reactivity of umbilical cord blood lymphocytes to PHA as measured by whole blood microtechnique

The capacity of human foetal lymphocytes to respond to PHA and to form E-rosettes have been compared with data from adult individuals. For this purpose a microculture system that uses whole blood and avoids the problems of lymphocyte separation, has been developed. Foetal lymphocytes reached optimal stimulation with lower dosis of PHA (31,2 microgram/ml) as compared with adult cells (125-252 microgram/ml). However their quantitative response (measured by 14C-thymidine uptake) was equal in both groups. In addition, peripheral T cells (E-rosetting cells) reached values of 36.47 +/- 9% in newborn and 49.6 +/- 10% in normal adult controls. These results are discussed as to the status and development of cellular inmunity in human foetus.