We investigated the feasibility of local treatment or tumor vaccination with a herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1-defective vector. The vector was engineered to express murine interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) for experimental gene therapy against mouse glioma Rous sarcoma virus (RSV). The murine IFN-gamma gene was driven by the cytomegalovirus promoter. The helper virus (tsk) was thermosensitive; consequently, this vector could only proliferate at 31 degrees C. A high level of murine IFN-gamma expression was confirmed in vitro and in vivo by immunohistochemistry using anti-mouse IFN-gamma monoclonal antibody. This engineered vector (dvHSV/MulFN-gamma) inhibited the proliferation of mouse glioma RSV cells in vitro, and an intratumoral (i.t.) local injection of the vector caused i.t. necrosis in vivo. The immunological effect of dvHSV/MulFN-gamma was also examined in a mouse glioma RSV cell implantation model. A subcutaneous (s.c.) implant of 1 x 10(6) mouse glioma RSV cells after treatment with dvHSV/MulFN-gamma was rejected. However, the implant after treatment with an engineered HSV-defective vector containing an antisense nucleotide sequence of the murine IFN-gamma gene was not rejected. In addition, in another group of mice in which RSV cells treated with dvHSV/MulFN-gamma were implanted into a femoral (s.c.) region and nontreated RSV cells were implanted into a contralateral femoral (s.c.) region, the implanted RSV cells were rejected. The rejection of the implanted mouse glioma RSV was blocked by anti-asialo GM1, which was known to inhibit natural killer cell activity. These results revealed that the HSV-defective vector could realize a high efficiency of transfection to glioma cells through short-time treatment, and that the IFN-gamma gene transferred to the cells had the effect of tumor vaccination, which was suggested be related to natural killer cells. In conclusion, dvHSV/MulFN-gamma may be useful for the gene therapy of malignant glioma through either i.t. local injection or a practical tumor vaccination with ex vivo gene transfer.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Angiogenesis in malignant fibrous histiocytoma.

The significance of neovascularization for tumor growth and metastasis has recently been postulated for human cancers; increased microvessel density correlates with increased frequency of metastasis. In the present study, microvessel density was examined in 42 cases of malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH). Microvessels were defined as lumens surrounded by anti-factor-VIII-related antigen (FVIII-RA)-antibody-stained endothelium, and counted in a x 400 field. The number of microvessels varied from 4 to 79 (median 14.5). When cases were divided into groups with less than or greater than 20 microvessels, there were no prominent differences in age distribution, sex ratio, size of tumor, depth of tumor, and histologic subtypes between the two groups. The number of microvessels in 19 cases with and 22 cases without metastasis was 19.4 +/- 14.9 and 19.6 +/- 17.4, respectively. Angiogenesis is apparently not a key factor in the formation of metastasis by MFH.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Inhibitory effect of alkane-6,8-diols, the components of safflower, on tumor promotion by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate in two-stage carcinogenesis in mouse skin.

Erythro-alkane-6,8-diols were isolated from the flowers of Carthamus tinctorius. 12-0-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA, 1 microgram/ear), a tumor-promoting agent, was applied to the ears of mice to induce inflammation. Of 8 alkane-6,8-diols assayed, the C27, C31, C32, C33 and C35 alkane diols inhibited the inflammation. The 50% inhibitory dose of these compounds for TPA-induced inflammation was 0.5-0.7 mg/ear. However, C21, C23 and C25 alkane-6,8-diols were found to have no effect. Furthermore, the mixture of erythro-alkane-6,8-diols from the flowers of C. tinctorius markedly suppressed the promoting effect of TPA on skin tumor formation in mice following initiation with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene.

9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Inhibitory effect of taraxastane-type triterpenes on tumor promotion by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate in two-stage carcinogenesis in mouse skin.

Two taraxastane-type hydroxy triterpenes, taraxasterol and faradiol, isolated from the flowers of Compositae plants Cynara scolymus (artichoke) and Chrysanthemum morifilolium (chrysanthemum), respectively, showed strong inhibitory activity against 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced inflammation in mice. At 2.0 mumol/mouse, these compounds inhibited markedly the tumor-promoting effect of TPA (1 microgram/mouse) on skin tumor formation following initiation with 7,12-dimethylbenz[alpha]anthracene (50 micrograms/mouse).

9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Inhibitory effects of lanostane-type triterpene acids, the components of Poria cocos, on tumor promotion by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate in two-stage carcinogenesis in mouse skin.

Pachymic acid, 3-O-acetyl-16 alpha-hydroxytrametenolic acid, and poricoic acid B had been isolated from the sclerotium of Poria cocos Wolf. These compounds showed a strong inhibitory activity against 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced inflammation in mice. At 0.2 mumol/mouse, these compounds markedly inhibited the promoting effect of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (1 microgram/mouse) on skin tumor formation following initiation with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (50 micrograms/mouse).

9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Interaction of beta-lactam antibiotics with the penicillin-binding proteins of penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae.

The binding of five structurally diverse beta-lactam antibiotics to penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) of two clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae resistant to penicillin G was compared with that of a susceptible strain. A common feature of the PBP patterns of the resistant strains was the absence of PBP 1a detected in the susceptible strain. For each beta-lactam antibiotic tested, there appeared to be significant decreases in the affinity for BPB 1b, 2a and 2b of the resistant strains. We attempted to evaluate a quantitative correlation between the antibacterial activity of the drugs for three strains and their affinity for the various PBPs. A close correlation was found between the minimum inhibitory concentrations and the affinity for PBP 2a, but not for any of the other PBPs.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Crush and imprint cytology of subependymoma: a case report.

BACKGROUND: There are few descriptions of the cytologic features of subependymoma because this neoplasm is rare and most commonly encountered incidentally at autopsy. Here we report a surgical case of subependymoma occurring in the lateral ventricle and provide the first documentation of the crush cytologic features of this tumor. CASE: A 34-year-old woman was found to have a tumorous lesion in the right lateral ventricle. At surgery, a 2-cm-diameter tumor was detected in the anterior horn. Histologic examination during surgery revealed that the mass was composed of loose,fibrillary networks and clusters of nuclei showing mild pleomorphism. A number of microcystic formations were evident. Histologically, the neoplasm was considered benign--specifically, a subependymoma. Papanicolaou- or Giemsa-stained crush specimens and imprint smears were also prepared. The cytologic morphology was fundamentally the same as the histologic. In the crush specimens, microcystic formations were readily visible. Moreover, details of the cellular morphology were more easily recognized in the cytologic slides than in the frozen sections. CONCLUSION: Cytologic examination, particularly crush cytology, appears to be useful for the rapid diagnosis of subependymoma during surgery in combination with the examination of frozen histologic sections.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Radiotherapy of postoperative residual tumor of bile duct carcinoma.

The case of a patient with bile duct carcinoma who had a postoperative residual tumor treated with high-dose-rate intraluminal brachytherapy (HDRIBT) following external radiotherapy is presented. Following radiotherapy, he has been alive and well without signs of recurrence for two years and eleven months as of this writing. HDRIBT following external irradiation is recommended for the treatment of postoperative small residual tumors of the bile duct.

Adenoma, Bile Duct↗

PubMedDate not supplied

High-dose-rate intraluminal brachytherapy for postoperative residual tumor of gallbladder carcinoma: a case report.

The case of a patient with gallbladder carcinoma who had a postoperative residual tumor treated with high-dose-rate intraluminal brachytherapy (HDRIBT) and external radiotherapy (ERT) is presented. HDRIBT (20 Gy/2 fr) was performed at one point 10 mm from the 60Co source on 27 and 34 days after simple cholecystectomy. ERT (30 Gy/15 fr) was also given two weeks after HDRIBT. Following radiotherapy, she has been alive and well without signs of recurrence for one year and ten months as of this writing. HDRIBT combined with ERT is recommended for the treatment of post-operative residual tumors of advanced gallbladder carcinomas.

Adenocarcinoma↗