Clinically applicable markers for tumor progression may be uncovered by selective analysis of biochemical parameters, supposedly participating in this complex process. Owing to the importance of specific protein-carbohydrate interactions in diverse biological processes, the pattern of the receptor part in this glycobiochemical recognition system, the sugar receptors (lectins), conceivably reflects biological properties of tumor cells in glycobiochemical terms. Therefore, we established and characterized xenografts from surgically removed specimens of a human primary colon adenocarcinoma and its metastatic lesions to liver of the same patient and of a histomorphologically similar primary colon adenocarcinoma of another patient in nude mice. Xenotransplantation and subsequent glycobiochemical analysis of material from early passages with a standardized procedure had been preferred to cell culture in monolayer on account of maintenance of a higher degree of organized histotypic assembly. Despite histomorphological similarities, the sugar receptor profile revealed significant differences in tumor-tumor and tumor-metastasis comparison, especially for alpha- and beta-galactoside-binding proteins. Tumor-metastasis differences were substantiated by a second successfully xenotransplanted pair of specimens. Comprehensive expansion of these initial data may eventually lead to desirable functional correlations with the different biological properties of histomorphologically similar primary colon adenocarcinomas and of the metastatic phenotype and to a rational development of therapeutic modalities to restrict tumor growth and spread.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Surgical treatment of congenital clavicular pseudarthrosis].

INTRODUCTION: Congenital pseudarthrosis of the clavicle is an extremely rare disease of unknown histogenesis. The method of treatment is still discussed controversely. CASES: Two cases of a congenital pseudarthrosis of the right clavicle were presented, revealing the typical clinical, radiologic and histopathologic features. Surgical treatment was performed at the age of 4 and 7 years, consisting of a partial resection of the bony ends of both segments of the clavicle, partial excision of the dense fibrous tissue lying within the defective area in the middle third of the clavicles by forming a continuous sleeve for interposing autogeneous spongiosa from the iliac crest and internal fixation with a Kirschner wire. Both cases showed a successful solid bone union in X-ray controls after 8 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: According to the histopathological findings we assume an abnormal ineffective chondral instead of an endesmal ossification resulting from a damage during embryogenesis as the underlying pathogenetic mechanism of congenital pseudarthrosis of the clavicle. Since chondral ossification proves to be ineffective also after birth, spontaneous bony union cannot be expected. Therefore, reconstructive surgery is the treatment of choice.

Bone Transplantation↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A comparison of critical osmolality and hydraulic conductivity and its activation energy in fowl and bull spermatozoa.

Measurements were made of critical osmolality, the osmolality at which 50% of the cells are lysed, and of the permeation time, the time taken to lyse 50% of the cells in an osmotic solution lower than the critical osmolality, for fowl and bull spermatozoa. Cell lysis was determined by means of fluorescent viability stains (carboxyfluorescein diacetate and propidium iodide) using a flow cytometer. The advantages and pitfalls of this approach are addressed. The values obtained have been used to compute the water permeability, or hydraulic conductivity, of the plasma membrane and its activation energy for each species. Fowl spermatozoa were found to have a lower critical osmolality (17 mOsm) than bull spermatozoa (36 mOsm), and this is discussed in relation to the differences in cell shape and size. The hydraulic conductivities of fowl and bull spermatozoa were 2.1 and 10.8 microns x atmosphere x minute, respectively, and the respective activation energies were 4.4 and 3.0 kcal/mol. The relevance of these findings to cryopreservation of spermatozoa is considered.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Xenografts from a human colon carcinoma and its metastases: establishment, characterization and differences in the pattern of carbohydrate-binding proteins.

Investigation of the pathogenesis of human colorectal carcinoma metastasis can be rendered experimentally possible by suitable human cell biological model systems. The purpose of these studies was to establish xenografts in nude mice from human colon carcinoma and from its metastasis in the same patient as an appropriate model. Surgically removed biopsy specimens from a colon adenocarcinoma (grade 3) and its local relapse two years later with metastases in the small intestine were established as xenotransplants and their growth characteristics examined. Both tissue types shared common characteristics with respect to marker expression (carcinoembryonic antigen, neuron-specific enolase, cytokeratin). The primary tumor showed remarkable development of necrotic effusion with cytotoxic activity that ceased after several passages. The profile of endogenous carbohydrate-binding proteins (lectins), the receptors for cellular glycoconjugates in a recognitive protein-carbohydrate interplay with potential relevance to metastases formation, revealed differences between these two human tumor samples of identical origin, especially with respect to beta-galactoside-specific receptors. This glycobiochemical analysis employed standardized procedures. Prolonged passaging was also shown to result in profile alterations, as was similarly noted in comparison to another species. These studies may encourage the application of systems of primary tumor and its metastases in the same patient in attempts to correlate the expression of cellular characteristics with the biological and clinical behavior of human colonic tumor cells.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Gaucher disease and pregnancy].

Two pregnancies in a patient with Gaucher's disease type I are reported. Anemia and thrombocytopenia were augmented during pregnancy, but no effect on the spleen and liver was observed. The first delivery was associated with a severe post partum haemorrhagia (platelet count 56,000/mcl, hemoglobin before delivery 10.2 g/100 ml, postpartum 5.5 g/100ml). At the end of the second pregnancy the platelet count was 33,000/mcl. Platelet transfusions were given after induction of preterm labor and no bleeding complications were observed. The obstetric aspects of Gaucher's disease are reviewed. Post partum haemorrhagia is associated with thrombopenia and is observed in patients with platelet counts under 100,000/mcl. Platelet infusions are recommended before delivery in these patients. Thrombocytopenic patients should be carefully monitored during labor with crossmatched blood on standby.

Adult↗