Characterization of membrane lectins in human colon carcinoma cells by flow cytofluorometry, drug targeting and affinity chromatography

Flow cytofluorometry and drug targeting with labelled neoglycoproteins are used as tools to probe for membrane lectins in two human adenocarcinoma cell lines. Both cell lines express activities for galactosides, glucosides and fucosides. Affinity chromatography on gels with immobilized sugar leads to purification of an alpha-galactoside-binding protein at an apparent molecular weight of 64 kDa that also binds to lactose, maltose and fucose and exhibits Ca2+-requirement for binding, a beta-galactoside-binding protein without Ca2+-requirement at an apparent molecular weight of 14 kDa, and an alpha-glucosyl-binding protein without Ca2+-requirement at an apparent molecular weight of 34 kDa from both cell lines. The description of membrane lectins, documented here for the first human tumor cell lines, is an initial step towards a lectin-based improvement of the clinical management of human colon adenocarcinoma.

Carbohydrate-binding proteins of tumor lines with different growth properties. II. Changes in their pattern in clones of transformed rat fibroblasts of differing metastatic potential

A tumor model system of clones of myeloproliferative sarcoma virus (MPV)-transformed rat fibroblasts (NRK) with different growth properties and metastatic potential was studied. The relationship between metastatic behavior and composition of carbohydrate-binding proteins (lectins) was analyzed by affinity chromatography. The metastatic variant differs qualitatively from its parental clone in the presence of galactoside-binding proteins at apparent molecular weight of 42 kDa. The alpha-glucosyl-binding proteins at apparent molecular weights of 67 kDa and 53 kDa and a galactoside-binding protein of apparent molecular weight of 34 kDa, however, are not detectable in the metastatic variant in comparison to its parental clone. In this respect the parental clone shows closer resemblance to the clone 5-8#1 with different growth properties and low metastatic potential than to its own metastatic variant. Furthermore, only the parental clone has a melibiose- and a mannan-binding protein of an apparent molecular weight of 64 kDa and 14 kDa, respectively. Rosette formation as model system for intercellular interaction reveals differences in the inhibition pattern with sugar between the two clones 5-8#1 and 5-20#20, whereas the metastatic variant 5-20#20 (s) exhibits drastically reduced capability to form rosettes. Initial experiments demonstrate the feasibility of drug targeting to transformed fibroblasts via carbohydrate-binding proteins.

Successful therapy of sarcoidosis-associated thrombocytopenia refractory to corticosteroids by a single course of human gammaglobulins

Thrombocytopenia developed in a 21-year-old patient with sarcoidosis when corticosteroid therapy was discontinued. Platelet-associated IgGs were elevated. High-dose cortisone did not affect the thrombocytopenia. However, platelet counts remained normal for more than 1.5 years following intravenous treatment with a single course of human gammaglobulins.

Comparison of bleomycin and peplomycin toxicity on clonogenic tumor cells from various human tumors

The cytotoxic effect of bleomycin and peplomycin was compared using a methylcellulose monolayer assay for the cultivation of human tumor cells. In 3 out of 4 samples from human malignant melanomas peplomycin proved to be more cytotoxic than bleomycin. Peplomycin was more cytotoxic than bleomycin in 1 of 5 myosarcoma samples, whereas 2 samples from squamous cell carcinomas of the lung showed identical dose response curves. In 1 carcinoma of the gall bladder peplomycin was more toxic than bleomycin.

Endogenous tumor lectins: overview and perspectives

Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins of non-immune origin that can be assayed as agglutinins. They are potential mediators in recognitive processes and cell adhesion by interaction with glycoconjugates. These functions are areas of particular relevance to tumor growth and metastatic spread. The presence of lectins in tumors has first been inferred by histochemical and cytological methods. The biochemical analysis for lectins with various specificities reveals differences in the lectin profile between tumors of different classes (eg, mammary adenocarcinoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, or teratoma) and of the same class (eg, testicular germ cell tumors) and differences in relation to normal tissues. The presence of endogenous lectins in tumors, their relation to lectins of normal tissues, and their interaction with glycoconjugates of tumors and normal tissues may contribute to an understanding of intercellular interactions during the complex process of metastatic spread, and may allow to establish a new tool for diagnosis and a lectin-based therapy.

Pattern of endogenous lectins of a human sarcoma (Ewing's sarcoma) reveals differences to human normal tissues and tumors of epithelial and germ cell origin

A human sarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, contains activities of endogenous lectins. Fractionation of salt and detergent extracts by affinity chromatography on columns with immobilized sugars or glycoproteins results in the pattern of endogenous lectins for alpha- and beta-galactosides, alpha-mannosyl- and alpha-fucosyl-moieties. Whereas some lectins are known from normal, non-malignant human tissues or from a human epithelial tumor or a human germ cell tumor, a Ca2+-independent alpha- and beta-galactoside-binding protein at apparent molecular weight of 58 kilodaltons has so far not been characterized from any human source. The patterns for the tumors and human normal tissues reveal various differences in comparison between each other. These differences, documented for the first human sarcoma, human tumors of different histogenetic lineage and normal tissues are a first step to a lectin-based diagnosis and therapy of certain human cancer types.

Effects of cytostatic drugs and 40.5 degrees C hyperthermia on human bone marrow progenitors (CFU-C) and human clonogenic tumor cells implanted into mice

Human spontaneous tumors after surgical resection were implanted into NMRI nude mice. Clonogenic cells from these tumors (4 malignant melanomas, 2 squamous cell carcinomas of the lung, and 1 small cell carcinoma of the lung) were cultured in a methylcellulose monolayer assay. Dose-response curves with 7 cytostatic drugs (doxorubicin, bleomycin, dactinomycin, cisplatin, vincristine, vinblastine, and melphalan) were assessed at 37 degrees C and after a 2-hour pulse at 40.5 degrees C. In addition, bone marrow cells (CFU-C) were plated in the same assay. Dose-response curves were assessed with the same drugs under the same conditions. Hyperthermic treatment without drugs did not alter the colony formation of tumor and bone marrow cells. Bone marrow samples from different donors showed homogeneous response patterns; the tumor probes revealed sensitivity patterns typical for each tumor. In 13 of 48 tumor-drug combinations a thermal enhancement of the drug effects was observed, whereas there was no significant difference between normothermic and hyperthermic cultures in the bone marrow cultures. A comparison of colony and bone marrow dose-response curves suggested that a hyperthermic enhancement can occur in single cases. However, this phenomenon seems to be due to individual properties of the tumor.

Endogenous tumor lectins: a new class of tumor markers and targets for therapy?

Endogenous lectins of normal tissues can play a functional role in recognition processes and cell adhesion. These functions are areas of particular relevance to tumor growth and metastasis. Our initial results on endogenous lectins of different tumors lead to the working hypothesis that the pattern of endogenous lectins is qualitatively and quantitatively different between different types of tumors and between tumors and normal, nonmalignant tissues. The endogenous lectins may thus prove to be potentially important in establishing a new concept for a rational lectin-based type of diagnosis and therapy of various tumors.

Carbohydrate-binding proteins of tumor lines with different growth properties. I. Differences in their pattern for three clones of rat fibroblasts transformed with a myeloproliferative sarcoma virus

Three clones of myeloproliferative virus (MPV)-transformed rat fibroblasts (NRK) with different growth properties and morphology were transplanted to athymic nude mice. Presence of carbohydrate-binding proteins was inferred by fluorescence microscopy using fluorescent, glycosylated markers. Salt and detergent extracts of tumors from this model system were fractionated under identical conditions on different sets of Sepharose columns, to which lactose, asialofetuin, melibiose, mannan and fucose had been covalently linked. Successive elution by chelating reagent and specific sugar resulted in isolation of the different Ca2+ -dependent and Ca2+ -independent endogenous carbohydrate-binding proteins that were assayable as agglutinins. In comparison, the different tumors displayed a pattern with qualitative and quantitative alterations. Since protein-carbohydrate interaction mediated by carbohydrate-binding proteins (lectins) is of importance for cognitive processes, it is remarkable that the pattern of membrane glycoproteins, isolated by affinity chromatography on resins with immobilized plant lectins, had also been found to reveal certain individual properties for receptors specific for peanut agglutinin (PNA) and Ulex europaeus agglutinin (UEA). These demonstrated differences within the system of protein-carbohydrate interaction suggest that endogenous lectins and their ligands have potential significance as markers defining a certain phenotype within this tumor model system.

Empirical development and evaluation of prehospital trauma triage instruments

The field identification of the patients who should be taken to trauma centers is a major problem of trauma care. This study appears to be the first to use multivariate analysis to systematically design a field triage instrument and to evaluate its performance in terms of a meaningful and plausible criterion for which patients ought to be treated at trauma centers. Four new triage instruments were created and their performance compared to that of two existing measures, the Trauma Score and the CRAMS scale. The new measures appear to perform better than the best of existing instruments tested, although independent validation is necessary. The one purely physiologic instrument tested appeared to be inferior to instruments that included anatomic and historic as well as physiologic indices. Simple checklists performed approximately as well as weighted scales. No instrument was found to be high in both sensitivity and positive accuracy.

Archaebacterial phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase. Accuracy of the phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase from the archaebacterium Methanosarcina barkeri, Zn(II)-dependent synthesis of diadenosine 5',5'''-P1,P4-tetraphosphate, and immunological relationship of OFFnylalanyl-tRNA synthetases from different urkingdoms

Phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase from the archaebacterium Methanosarcina barkeri activates a number of phenylalanine analogues (methionine, p-fluorophenylalanine, beta-phenylserine, beta-thien-2-ylalanine, 2-amino-4-methylhex-4-enoic acid and ochratoxin A) in the absence of tRNA, as demonstrated by Km and kcat of the ATP/PPi exchange reaction. Upon complexation with tRNA, AMP formation from the enzyme X tRNA complex in the presence of ATP, one of the above analogues or tyrosine, leucine, mimosine, N-benzyl-L- or N-benzyl-D-phenylalanine indicates activation of the analogues under conditions of aminoacylation. Natural noncognate amino acids are not transferred to tRNAPhe-C-C-A or tRNAPhe-C-C-A-(3'-NH2). This pretransfer proofreading mechanism, together with the comparatively low ratio of synthetic to successive hydrolytic steps, resembles the mechanism of liver enzymes of vertebrates. In contrast, eubacterial phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetases achieve the necessary fidelity by post-transfer proofreading, a corrective hydrolytic event after transfer to tRNAPhe. Diadenosine 5',5'''-P1,P4-tetraphosphate synthesis is shown to be a common feature for phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetases from all three lineages of descent. The immunological approach demonstrates that aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases do not belong to the group of enzymes in gene expression with high structural conservation.

Pattern of endogenous lectins in a human epithelial tumor

Salt and detergent extracts of a malignant epithelial tumor, obtained by extraction of acetone powder, were fractionated on different sets of Sepharose columns covalently derivatized with lactose, asialofetuin, melibiose, mannan, fucose, and heparin. Successive elution by chelating reagent and specific sugar resulted in isolation of different Ca2+-dependent and Ca2+-independent endogenous carbohydrate-binding proteins, as analyzed by gel electrophoresis. It appears from the analysis that certain bands represent newly identified proteins capable of binding to lactose (at Mr 64,000), melibiose (at Mr 28,000), and fucose (at Mr 62,000 and 70,000). Other carbohydrate-binding proteins isolated from this human tumor have been identified in normal, especially embryonic, tissues of different nonhuman vertebrates. The carbohydrate-binding proteins are assayable as agglutinin with rabbit erythrocytes and show no detectable enzymatic activity. They can thus be defined as lectins. The presence of a complex pattern of endogenous lectins and their biochemical characteristics may contribute to an understanding of intercellular interaction during the complex process of metastatic spread and may furthermore allow a new tool for diagnosis and a lectin-based therapy.

Cytostatic drug effects on human clonogenic tumor cells and human bone marrow progenitor cells (CFU-C) in vitro

Human tumor cells from a squamous cell carcinoma of the lung and from a malignant melanoma and human bone marrow progenitor cells were cultured in a methylcellulose monolayer system. To obtain tumor material for repeated experiments with human tumor specimens, human xenografts grown in the nude mouse system were used. The cultures were incubated continuously with adriamycin, actinomycin-D, bleomycin, cisplatinum, and melphalan. Dose response curves for bone marrow and tumor cell colonies were established. A comparison of bone marrow and tumor cell colony dose response curves might be useful for the assessment of the drug sensitivity of tumor cells independent of in vivo pharmacologic data and duration of drug exposure.

Biochemical characterization of endogenous carbohydrate-binding proteins from spontaneous murine rhabdomyosarcoma, mammary adenocarcinoma, and ovarian teratoma

Three entirely different tumor types were investigated biochemically for the presence and characteristics of endogenous carbohydrate-binding proteins in an inbred Brown Norway rat, an outbred Sprague-Dawley rat, and an outbred Han:NMRI mouse. The patterns under investigation included specificities for alpha- and beta-galactosyl, alpha-mannosyl, and alpha-fucosyl moieties, respectively, and specificities for heparin, analyzed by affinity chromatography on resins with immobilized sugars or glycoproteins and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. The patterns were divided into categories according to dependence of the binding activity on the presence of Ca2+ and dependence on extraction conditions. Rhabdomyosarcoma revealed only Ca2+-independent activities, i.e., activities with specificity for beta-galactosides at a molecular weight of 12,000, with specificity for alpha-galactosides at molecular weights of 29,000, 43,000, and 45,000, with specificity for heparin at molecular weights of 13,000 and 16,000, and with specificities for mannose and fucose at molecular weights ranging from 62,000 to 70,000. For the spontaneous mammary adenocarcinoma the pattern was entirely different and more diverse, including species with the Ca2+ requirement. Extracts with the use of 0.2 M NaCl (salt) and 2% Triton X-100 (detergent) from teratoma contained at least nine different carbohydrate-binding proteins. The only similarities between the pattern of endogenous carbohydrate-binding proteins from teratoma and from mammary adenocarcinoma were beta-galactoside-binding proteins, one with a Ca2+ requirement and one without a Ca2+ requirement, and the heparin-binding proteins. These heparin-binding proteins were the only types of carbohydrate-binding proteins common to all three tumor types. The analysis indicates that certain bands represented newly identified proteins capable of binding to galactose-, mannose- or fucose-containing glycoconjugates, respectively. When assayed with rabbit erythrocytes, the different fractions showed agglutination activity. They can thus be termed "endogenous lectins." The use of endogenous lectin patterns as potential diagnostic markers in addition to the corresponding changes in the glycoconjugate composition is proposed.

Intensified therapy in acute lymphoblastic and acute undifferentiated leukemia in adults

One hundred seventy adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or acute undifferentiated leukemia (AUL) were entered into a prospective multicenter therapy trial at 25 hospitals. The aim of the trial was to improve remission duration by using a modified form of an intensified induction regimen that was successful in childhood ALL, to define immunologic subtypes of ALL by use of cell-surface markers, and to extract other possible prognostic factors. The overall complete remission rate was 77.8%. The median overall survival time was 26 months, being 4 months for nonresponders and 32 months for responders. The median remission duration for the 126 patients with complete remission was 20 months. Prognostically favorable factors for remission duration were response to chemotherapy within 4 weeks, age less than 35 years, a low initial leukocyte count, and the immunologic subtypes c-ALL with early response to therapy and T-ALL, where 61% and 58%, respectively, are still in complete remission at 3 years. An adverse influence on remission duration was observed for the subtype null-ALL, with a median survival of 13 months, and for patients with a delayed response to induction therapy, independent of phenotype.

Endogenous lectins of bovine pancreas

Affinity chromatography of salt and detergent extracts from bovine pancreas on glycosylated or glycoprotein-linked Sepharose 4B resulted in purification of different carbohydrate-binding proteins. Three species of proteins with molecular masses of 16 kDa, 35 kDa and 64 kDa exhibiting specificity for beta-galactosides, but none with preferential specificity for alpha-galactosides, were isolated from salt and detergent extracts. No Ca2+ was required for binding. Mannan-binding proteins of 37 kDa, 47 kDa and 94 kDa without Ca2+-requirement were only found in the salt extract. No other mannan-binding activity could be detected. Fucose-binding proteins of 34 kDa, 62 kDa and 70 kDa exhibiting Ca2+-requirement for binding were present in the salt extract and two proteins with 62 kDa and 70 kDa in detergent extract. The different fractions showed agglutination activity when assayed with rabbit erythrocytes. Thus they can be defined as lectins.

Evolutionary aspects of accuracy of phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase. Accuracy of fungal and animal mitochondrial enzymes and their relationship to their cytoplasmic counterparts and a prokaryotic enzyme

Phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetases from mitochondria of yeast and hen liver resemble their corresponding cytoplasmic counterparts. Whereas slight intraspecies differences at the amino acid binding site, reflecting variations in the structures of these distinct enzymes, are exploitable by phenylalanine analogues, no intraspecies difference can be noted for the strategies to achieve the high fidelity of protein synthesis. While the yeast mitochondrial enzyme follows the pathway of posttransfer proofreading, the hen liver mitochondrial enzyme uses a tRNA-dependent pretransfer proofreading in the case of the natural amino acids. The accuracy of mitochondrial phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetases appears to be even better than the accuracy of the corresponding cytoplasmic enzymes. Interspecies rather than intraspecies differences for the functional role of certain amino acid residues of the enzymes further indicate the close relationship of the intracellular heterotopic isoenzymes. By use of a highly sensitive immunospotting procedure, common antigenic determinants are detected only within the enzymes from the two intracellular compartments of the same organism. The results suggest the origin of the cytoplasm-mitochondrion isoenzyme pair by independent gene duplication of the ancestral nuclear gene. A similarity of mitochondrial enzymes to the phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase from Escherichia coli is not observed.

[Does febrile proteinuria exist?]

The significance of proteinuria during febrile infectious diseases is widely underestimated, although the more marked proteinuria probably signalizes a parainfectious nephropathy rather than a functional disorder. This study shows that mild proteinuria of less than 0.65 g/24 h (normal range less than 0.3 g/24 h using the sensitive tannine-FeCl3-technique) might be caused by the elevated body temperature alone. 9 out of 18 volunteers without renal disease undergoing experimental hyperthermia of 40-41 degrees C for 1-2 h did not develop a proteinuria according to quantitative and qualitative (SDS-PAGE) measurements. In 6/18 the amount and composition of urinary proteins changed giving a glomerular type of proteinuria, possibly caused by temperature related transient glomerular alterations. In 3/18 a mild glomerulopathy existed before hyperthermia, as deduced from a glomerular pattern despite a quantitatively physiological proteinuria, leading in all 3 to pathological proteinuria during hyperthermia. In all 18 volunteers alterations reversed to normal within 12 h. Therefore, the degree of proteinuria during febrile diseases should be considered. Proteinuria of less than 0.5-1 g/24 h in adults might be explained by an altered glomerular function alone. Proteinurias exceeding this value, with a slow regressing tendency will indicate glomerular or tubulo-interstitial diseases, caused possibly by immunologic or toxic products resulting from underlying infectious disease.

Age-related changes in different steps of protein synthesis of liver and kidney of rats

Protein synthesis in cell-free systems of rat liver and kidney decreases markedly with age. Examination of activity changes of the different steps revealed for both types of organs that reduced binding of aminoacyl-tRNA to ribosomes and reduced peptidyl transfer might be of major importance for the decrease in overall protein synthesis whereas ageing has only little effect on translocation as well as on initiation and termination.

Simplified method for the discrimination of acute myelogenous and non-myelogenous leukemias

Rapid discrimination of acute myelogenous and non-myelogenous leukemias is of great importance when chemotherapy is urgently needed in severely ill patients. For decades the most reliable cytochemical method for this classification is the demonstration of myeloperoxidase in blast cells [1-4, 6, 7]. We combined the simplified myeloperoxidase stain as described by Kaplow with a brief stain similar to Pappenheim's procedure or with commercially available Hemacolor rapid blood smear: this proved to be a simple staining method that permits good morphological judgment of the cells as well as reliable demonstration of peroxidase activity. This procedure takes less than 10 min using Hemacolor and can easily be done with prepared solutions without technical assistance.

[Recruiting patients and results of a preliminary study on the therapy of acute lymphatic leukemia and acute undifferentiated leukemia in adults]

The aim of the study was to improve remission quality through application of an intensified induction therapy successful in childhood ALL; in a modified form for patients of 15-35 years and in a reduced form for patients of greater than 35-65 years with ALL or AUL. The 8-week induction therapy consists of two phases. In phase I, prednisone, vincristine, daunorubicin, and L-asparaginase are given and in phase II, cyclophosphamide, cytosine-arabinoside, and 6-mercaptopurinee. As CNS-prophylaxis, intrathecal methotrexate, and CNS-irradiation with 24 Gy are used. After 3 months a re-induction therapy similar to the induction therapy is given with dexamethasone and adriamycin instead of prednisone and daunorubicin and without L-asparaginase. Maintenance therapy with 6-mercaptopurin and methotrexate follows over a period of 2 years. Since the formation of the study group in 1979 up to 30.06.81, 170 patients from 25 hospitals with newly diagnosed ALL or AUL were treated according to the protocol. Up to 30.11.81, 162 patients had completed treatment and were evaluable. Of these, 77.8% achieved complete remission, 80.7% in the age group 15-35 years and 68.3% in the age group greater than 35-65 years. The median survival time for all patients was 24 months and for the 126 patients with complete remission the median has not yet been reached (last observation 31 months). The median remission duration is 20 months. Prognostic factors for remission duration are (1) the number of chemotherapy courses required to reach complete remission, (2) the immunological subtype, (3) age and (4) initial leukocyte count.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Phase II study of AMSA in adults with acute therapy-refractory leukemias]

The acridine derivative AMSA, Amsacrine, is a new anticancer drug which was effective in patients with advanced AML and ALL in studies performed in USA. In a multicenter phase II trial we treated 27 patients with acute resistant leukemia with AMSA. All presented progressive disease following several drug combination regimens. Out of the 25 evaluable patients 5 were resistant to primary therapies, 13 were in 2nd relapse, 6 in 3rd, and 1 in 4th relapse. Dosage was 75 mg/m2, iv, day 1-7, all 3-5 weeks. On an average, only 76% of the planned dose per cycle could be given, due to severe leucopenia. From 21 patients with ALL, 1 CR and 3 PR were observed; the 3 patients with ALL presented 1 CR and 1 PR. 1 AUL showed progressive disease. In all patients a marked cell reduction could be observed in the peripheral blood. The general tolerance was good. The most important side-effect was bone-marrow toxicity, 48% (12/25) presented leucopenia less than or equal to 600/mm3, 5 (20%) had fatal septic complications. All 5 early death presented high initial leucocyte counts of greater than or equal to 32.000 mm3 as a common risk factor. In conclusion, AMSA is an effective drug in heavily pretreated patients with AML and ALL.

Phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetases from yeast cytoplasm and mitochondria. The presence of a carbohydrate moiety in the mitochondrial enzyme and immunological evidence for structural relationship

Homogeneous yeast cytoplasmic and mitochondrial phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetases (L-phenylalanine:tRNAPhe ligase (AMP-forming), EC 6.1.1.20) are analysed for structural differences. Only the large subunit of the mitochondrial enzyme is a glycoprotein with nearly 3% carbohydrate by weight. The carbohydrates present are: glucose, N-acetylglucosamine, mannose, galactose and N-acetylneuraminic acid. Removal of the sugar moieties yields an activity increase, but no significant change of sensitivity to proteolytic degradation. Antibodies to both homogeneous enzymes demonstrate a structural similarity for both types of subunit using the highly sensitive immunoblotting technique.

[Possibilities of whole-body hyperthermia]

Significant modifications in tissues, even death of cells, are caused by hyperthermia of few degrees centigrade. The extent of these modifications depends on the temperature applied. In a whole-body treatment, only not directly cytotoxic temperatures can be tolerated. The authors compare the methods of induction of whole-body hyperthermia with respect to expenditure, temperature applied, and side effects. Total-body hyperthermia aims at a reinforcement of other tumoricide therapies (radiotherapy, chemotherapy). - A pilot study performed with patients suffering from microcellular bronchial carcinomas, extensive disease, showed that the results of ACO and total-body hyperthermia (41 degrees C) are encouraging as compared with single ACO therapy: complete remission 8/15, partial remission 5/15, no change and progressive disease 2/15, 53-week survival rate 0,5, one-year survival rate 0,53, two-year survival rate 0,18.

[Combined treatment of non-small cell carcinoma of the lung with radiotherapy and moderate whole-body hyperthermia (author's transl)]

Nine patients suffering from non oat cell carcinoma bronchial carcinomas were treated with extended-field irradiations. The treatment was executed under the conditions of whole-body hyperthermia. All patients had inoperable but not yet disseminated carcinomas, seven among them a squamous cell carcinoma and two an undifferentiated carcinoma. The hyperthermia was produced by a Siemens cabin (chamber of Pomp) with preheated air of 55 to 60 degrees C and a radio frequency of 27 MHz, 400 W. A temperature of body cavities of 40 to 40.5 degrees C was reached within 40 to 60 minutes. Fifteen minutes after having reached this temperature, the patient was irradiated. The nominal standard dose of 18 to 18.5 Gy was fractioned into three times three Gy per week. Three to thirteen single doses were combined with whole-body hyperthermia. The initial tumor regression seemed increased. One patient became operable; he was submitted to pneumonectomy. All patients showed partial remissions. Compared to radiotherapy alone, there is no improvement of remission period and survival time until now. Better results could possibly be reached by an additional systemic chemotherapy.

[Influence of hyperthermia on toxic side effects of cytostatic agents (author's transl)]

14 patients with tumors in generalised stages (Hodgkin's disease, oat-cell-carcinoma, Fibrosarcoma, acute leukemia) were treated altogether 54 times with cytostatics in combination with hyperthermia. The temperature was induced by microwaves with a frequency of 27 MHz. A temperature of 40 degrees C was reached after 40 min. At this point cytostatics were applicated; afterwards the temperature was maintained for one hour at 40-40,5 degrees C. Cardia, pulmonary and circulatory complications did not occur. Controls of the laboratory parameters could exclude effects on electrolytes, muscles, blood, liver and kidney. The laboratory controls were made before, during, immediately after and 24 h after hyperthermia. There were no signs for an enhancement of toxicity typical for cytostatics. The observations are compared to the results of other investigators. To date the therapeutic effect of this treatment can not be stated.

[A variant of the von Willebrand-Jürgens-syndrome with abnormalities of the factor VIII/von Willebrand factor protein (author's transl)]

A family is reported with a variant of von Willebrand's disease. The members of this family showed a qualitative defect of the factor VII/von Willebrand factor protein. The qualitative defect was characterized by an abnormal electrophoretical mobility of factor VIII-related antigen and an abnormal elution pattern as demonstrated by gelfiltration on Sepharose 4 B. Factor VIII-subunits in these patients were found to be normal by polyacrylamidgelelektrophoresis.

[Changes in clinical and immunological laboratory parameters of healthy adults after exposure to a one-hour 40 degree C-whole-body hyperthermia (author's transl)]

There are no signs of organ lesions in healthy subjects exposed to an 1-hour 40 degree C whole-body hyperthermia, induced by radiofrequency or infrared light. As to the immunological in vitro parameters, only a slight decrease of the relative T-cell count is seen, T-cell functions however being normal. A leukocytosis appearing during infrared-induced hyperthermia is probably related to the erythema caused by skin heating. About possible indications and clinical values of this treatment, nothing can however be said so far.

Observations on the biochemical effects of transfusion of citrate-phosphate-dextrose stored blood in man

Preliminary data on the biochemical effects of the transfusion of three units of CPD blood in man is presented. Free (ionized) calcium was found to decrease approximately two minutes following initiation of the transfusion of CPD stored blood at a rate of 50 ml/min. Due to mixing problems, arterial and not venous specimens were found necessary to monitor accurately the severity of these decreases. Parathyroid hormone in the peripheral blood was found to increase two to four minutes after the initiation of transfusion. Decreases in blood pressure were observed during transfusion. The blood pressure recovered when the transfusion was stopped and did not decrease any further after restarting the transfusion, were found out not to increase or decrease consistently, and only modest changes in plasma potassium were observed.

Rapid isolation of highly active RNA polymerase from Escherichia coli and its subunits by matrix-bound heparin

1. RNA polymerase from Escherichia coli is selectively and strongly retained by a heparin-substituted agarose and can be eluted therefrom by a neutral buffer containing 0.6 M salt. The method is applicable to relatively crude preparations of the enzyme on a preparative scale giving highly purified RNA polymerase in excellent yield. The enzyme obtained by this procedure shows the highest specific activity so far reported and is pure and enriched in factor sigma as indicated by dodecylsulfate gel electrophoresis. 2. Based on the differential affinity of the subunits of the enzyme for the heparin-carrying gel matrix, a method for separation of alpha, beta' + beta and sigma subunits by application of urea and salt-containing buffers is described. Upon recombination and dialysis with urea-free buffer 40-50% of the enzyme activity is restored.

An instrument for the rapid determination of L-lactate in biological fluids

An analyzer for lactate has been developed based upon an electrochemical-enzymatic method. It allows the determination of lactate within 2 to 3 minutes after sample collection. The instrument is capable of performing up to 20 measurements per hour. A minimum sample volume of 50 mul is needed. Except for the injection of the sample, all steps of the measurement are automated. The instrument is easy to operate and can also be used by nontechnical staff.