Degranulation of peripheral blood neutrophils during haemoperfusion in chronic uraemics

In 10 chronic uraemics activities of some lysosomal enzymes were determined in peripheral blood neutrophils and plasma during haemoperfusion with charcoal cartridge Adsorba 300 C (Gambro). Blood plasma activities of arylsulfatases, beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase and beta-glucuronidase did not significantly change during haemoperfusion, while lysozyme activity was significantly increasing. Neutrophil contents of these enzymes decreased. The determinations of these enzyme activities revealed a positive outlet-inlet difference in blood plasma and a negative outlet-inlet difference in neutrophils during the first 20 minutes of the procedure. The results suggest that during haemoperfusion degranulation of the peripheral blood neutrophils occurs.

Changes in lung activity of superoxide dismutase and copper concentration during lung tumorigenesis by hydralazine in Swiss mice

Hydralazine (1-hydrazinophthalazine) was administered in drinking water as a 0.0312% solution to randomly bred Swiss mice for life beginning at 5 weeks of age. The treatments gave rise to statistically significant incidences of lung tumors: 55% in females and 43% in males. A decreased copper concentration and superoxide dismutase activity in the lung of mice were observed. The role of copper and superoxide dismutase in the malignant process is briefly discussed.

Modification of the neutrophil Fc receptor by neutrophil granule products: its significance for phagocytosis and bactericidal activity

Preincubation of neutrophils with various amounts of autologous neutrophil granule products induced a dose-dependent decrease in neutrophil Fc receptor expression. However, neutrophil granule products did not affect the neutrophil phagocytic and bactericidal activities.

Observations on xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis

Four cases of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis, treated at the Department of Urology of the Military Medical Academy, are described. Focal lesions of the kidney were found in all of them. A precise pre- and intraoperative diagnosis is impossible or doubtful because the clinical symptoms and macroscopic appearance of the involved kidney suggest the presence of a tumour. Treatment consists mainly in nephrectomy.

Release of neutrophil granule factors during early period of hemodialysis: a possible cause of hemodialysis neutropenia

In the early phase of hemodialysis progressive decreases in some enzyme activities in the leukocyte homogenate, neutrophil granule fraction and postgranular supernatant were found with concomitant rise in plasma beta-glucuronidase activity, which is indicative of the release of neutrophil granule factors into the extracellular environment. Intravenous infusion of human neutrophil granule products to rabbits induced profound transient neutropenia. The results suggest that the release of neutrophil granule factors in the early period of hemodialysis may be a possible cause of hemodialysis neutropenia.

Factors influencing human leukocyte adherence in vivo

The effects of different factors on leukocyte adherence was evaluated by using human peripheral blood before and after treatment (application). Magnesium ions, anti-inflammatory drugs and dextran have decreased neutrophil adherence. Calcium ions, propranolol, blood transfusion caused a significant decrease in adherence. These findings support the conclusion that the adherence test, which is influenced by numerous factors and whose results had a wide scatter, is not a useful tool in clinical diagnosis.

Xenogeneic neoplastic transplants in adult rats pretreated with thymic foetal extracts

The paper deals with the effect of thymic extracts from young foetal pigs and calves on the development of tumour xenografts, i.e. mouse ascites Ehrlich carcinoma and hamster malignant melanoma, in rats. The results of experiments showed that Ehrlich carcinoma developed in 4 out of 72 animals, i.e., in those animals which had received thymic extracts from young foetal pigs, Ehrlich carcinoma led to their death. Ehrlich carcinoma assumed a solid form and the cells changed in their shape. It developed normally, when retransplanted to mice. Hamster melanoma, when transplanted to rats given thymic extracts from young foetal calves, developed and survived for long periods of time (in one animal up to 190 days, and in the remaining animals much longer than in the controls and the animals injected with liver extracts from young foetal calves). The melanoma xenograft was not morphologically changed. A normal development of the malignant process occurred when melanoma was retransplanted to hamsters. Animals injected with thymic extracts from young foetal calves exhibited lymphopoenia and a fall in gamma globulin levels before tumour transplantation.