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Biomedical subjects

J Goldman

Publications and source records attributed to J Goldman.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Psychological and hormonal changes in the course of in vitro fertilization.

This study was designed to investigate concurrently the psychological and hormonal changes at three critical points during in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. One hundred thirteen couples suffering from mechanical and unexplained infertility participated in the study and 23 of them conceived. Psychological evaluation included background questionnaires, Lubin's Depression Adjective Check List, and Spielberger's State Trait Anxiety inventory. Cortisol and prolactin levels were estimated by radioimmunoassay. The results showed that patients' anxiety and depression scores were significantly higher than the population norm. Psychological test scores and hormonal levels showed a similar pattern of change, increasing on oocyte retrieval day, decreasing on embryo transfer day, and rising again on pregnancy test day. Differences between these phases were generally significant. Differences in parameters' means between conceiving (C) and nonconceiving (NC) women were generally not significant. However, correlations between psychological measures and hormonal levels showed a clear disparity between C and NC women in the last phase. Whereas significant negative correlations were found in C patients, no relationship was found in NC patients. The findings suggest that success in IVF treatment may depend, in part, on differential modes of coping with anxiety and depression, involving hormonal or endorphin mediation.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Hyperglycemic athymic nude mice: factors affecting in vitro insulin secretion.

The strain of athymic nude male mice (ANM) developed at the University of Southern California (USC) exhibits spontaneous hyperglycemia and relative hypoinsulinemia in vivo. To investigate factors that influence insulin secretion in this animal model of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, we utilized the isolated perfused mouse pancreas of the ANM-USC and control BALB/c mice. We compared in vitro glucose-induced insulin secretion in ANM-USC and control mice, inhibition of secretion by somatostatin, and variability of insulin secretion over the two-year period it took to complete these experiments. Glucose-induced insulin secretion from the isolated pancreas was biphasic in both ANM-USC and controls. Insulin secretion was quantitatively equal to or greater than control mice, depending on the phase of secretion analyzed and the source of the control mice. In contrast to pancreases of control mice, insulin secretion from ANM-USC pancreases was relatively resistant to inhibition of insulin secretion by somatostatin. Variability in insulin secretion over the two years in which these experiments were performed was greater from pancreases of control than that observed from pancreases of the ANM-USC. The hyperglycemic ANM-USC mouse does not demonstrate diminished insulin secretion in vitro yet is relatively hypoinsulinemic in vivo. Thus circulating factors other than somatostatin might contribute to the insulinopenic stage in this animal model.

Animals↗

Phosphorylation of alpha-crystallin B in Alexander's disease brain.

The phosphorylation of alpha-crystallin B was studied in homogenates of autopsy samples of brain tissue from patients with Alexander's disease, a condition characterized by over-expression of this protein. After incubation in the presence of [gamma-32P]ATP and cAMP the homogenates were analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis, (isoelectric focusing followed by SDS-PAGE). Three major polypeptides having the same molecular weight as bovine lens alpha-crystallin B and pIs 7.1, 6.9 and 6.7 were detected in the Coomassie blue stained gels. These three polypeptides were recognized by an alpha-crystallin B-specific antiserum in Western blots. The polypeptides with pIs 7.1 and 6.7 co-migrated in isoelectric focusing gels with bovine lens alpha B and its phosphorylated form alpha Bp, respectively. Radioautography of the two-dimensional gels demonstrated the presence of 32P in the most acidic polypeptide. The results demonstrate the occurrence of alpha B phosphorylation in Alexander's disease brain tissue.

Blotting, Western↗

Structural basis of a conserved idiotope expressed by an autoreactive human B cell lymphoma. Evidence that a VH CDR3 mutation alters idiotypy and specificity.

Our laboratory has previously investigated the relationship of autoimmune disease and B cell neoplasia in a patient with a diffuse, well differentiated splenic B cell lymphoma and associated autoimmune hemolysis due to an anti-Pr2 antibody. EBV-immortalized B cell clones, established from this lymphoma, were shown to secrete the same pathologic anti-Pr2 antibody. The antiidiotypic mAb, RI.1, defined a private Id (IdRI.1) of the anti-Pr2 antibody that was related to the Ag-binding site and was expressed by both the lymphoma and derived cell lines. This unique Id was expressed by the majority of splenic tumor B cells and also was conserved over a period of 4 yr. In this report, the structural basis of IdRI.1 expression was investigated by analysis of Id- variants isolated by flow microfluorimetry using RI.1. Six Id- cell lines that secrete IgM kappa but lack Pr2 specificity were generated from an Id+ cell line, LS2. These lines were shown to be related to LS2 and the lymphoma by karyotype and by restriction fragment analysis of Ig gene rearrangements. Shared and unshared nucleotide substitutions in the VH and VL regions of the six independent clones were used to construct a genealogic tree relating the Id- clonal members to a common Id+ precursor. The tree illustrates that the base changes occurred sequentially, suggesting that they were introduced by somatic point mutation. Only one VH CDR3 bp difference from the LS2 nucleic acid sequence is common to all Id- sequences, resulting in an amino acid substitution of cysteine 108 to tyrosine. Taken together, these findings suggest that both the expression of IdRI.1 and Ag binding are affected by a single mutation localized to the D region of the anti-Pr2 antibody.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Variable region gene analysis of pathologic human autoantibodies to the related i and I red blood cell antigens.

To investigate the molecular basis of the autoimmune response to the related i and I carbohydrate antigens, we studied cold agglutinins (CA) from B-cell clones and from the peripheral circulation of patients with lymphoproliferative syndromes. Sequence analyses of expressed variable region genes indicate that both anti-i and anti-I specificities from B-cell clones from two patients are encoded by the VH4.21 or a very closely related VH4 heavy chain gene, whereas the expressed light chain genes differed. The anti-i-secreting B-cells express unmutated germline-encoded VH4.21 and VKI gene sequences. The VH region gene encoding anti-I has the closest homology (97%) to the VH4.21 germline gene and differs at the protein level by only three amino acids. In contrast, while the VL region gene encoding anti-I is most homologous (96%) to the VKIII, kv328 germline gene, there are seven amino acid differences due to nonrandom replacement mutations, which suggests a role for antigen-mediated selection in the anti-I response of this individual. These studies were extended by a structural survey of 20 additional serum CA using antipeptide antibodies specific for determinants in VH and VL regions. All anti-I and anti-i CA were shown to express VH4 heavy chains, and 14 of 17 CA expressed a previously described VH4 second hypervariable region determinant, termed VH4-HV2a. We also found that 13 of 14 anti-I CA used VKIII light chains, while the anti-i CA used light chains from at least three VL families. Taken together, the data show that anti-i and anti-I CA probably both derive from the VH4.21 gene (or a closely related gene). Furthermore, the restricted VH and different VL gene use in anti-i and anti-I CA may reflect the close structural relationship of the i and I antigens.

Autoantibodies↗

Optimising a limiting dilution culture system for quantitating frequencies of alloreactive cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursors.

We have developed a limiting dilution assay for estimating the frequencies of allo-MHC reactive cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursors (CTL-p) in peripheral blood. The culture conditions were optimised in order to give maximum sensitivity while at the same time maintaining a high degree of specificity. While the addition of filler cells, interleukin-1 and interleukin-4 were unnecessary, the addition of interleukin-2 (IL-2) was crucial for optimal expansion of the CTL-ps. However, excess exogenous IL-2 was found to give rise to nonspecific cytotoxicity, and 5 U/ml final concentration of recombinant IL-2 added on Days 3 and 6 was optimal. The establishment of baseline control cultures for determining positivity and negativity of the test cultures is discussed. Using this modified assay system, we demonstrated that the culture conditions fulfil "single hit" criteria and that the assay is highly specific.

Cell Differentiation↗

The role of clonal selection in the pathogenesis of an autoreactive human B cell lymphoma.

To study the association of autoimmunity and human B cell neoplasia, we have established a model of a B cell lymphoma which expresses a pathogenic autoantibody of defined specificity. The Ig VH gene expressed in this neoplasm was analyzed longitudinally using clinical specimens taken from the splenic lymphoma (S) at diagnosis and from lymph node relapses 3 and 4 yr later (N3 and N4). Southern analysis and oligonucleotide hybridization experiments demonstrated that clonally related predominant and minor tumor cell populations were present in S at diagnosis, and that the minor population became the predominant population in the relapse specimens, N3 and N4. Although the Ig specificity and idiotype were the same at diagnosis and at both relapses, analysis of the expressed VH gene sequences showed 14 base changes between S and N3, and 2 further changes at N4. Little sequence heterogeneity was observed at each sampling time, indicating that the ongoing mutation frequency was low. The relevant germline precursor VH gene was determined from autologous germline DNA and compared to the expressed genes. Based on the pattern of shared and unshared mutations, we were able to establish the genealogic relationship of the germline VH gene and the expressed clonotypes of S, N3 and N4. Taken together, the findings from Southern blotting, oligonucleotide hybridization, and sequence analysis permit us to describe a molecular aspect of tumor progression, "clonotypic shift", wherein subpopulations of the malignant clone, marked by different V gene clonotypes, emerge and predominate at different time points in the evolution of the lymphoma. Furthermore, the sequential and nonrandom pattern of the VH mutations, correlated with the observed conservation of autospecificity and idiotype, implies that clonal selection may have influenced the pathogenesis of the lymphoma.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

p53 in chronic myelogenous leukemia in acute phase.

All patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) undergo clinical transition from chronic to acute phase. This transition is often associated with deletion of the short arm of chromosome 17 in the form of the i(17q) aberration. Since the p53 gene is a suppressor gene and is located on 17p13, we examined the possibility that it is inactivated during progression of CML. Therefore, we studied the structure and expression of p53 in the leukemic cells of a large number of CML patients in acute phase. We found that although the gene is rarely rearranged, one p53 allele is completely deleted in patients with the i(17q) aberration as well as in some patients who do not show karyotypic changes. In all of these patients the remaining allele is inactivated through loss of expression, rearrangement, or point mutation. Detailed analysis of some patients who carry both p53 alleles indicated neither loss of expression nor structural alterations. It appears that p53 loss of function is associated with progression of around 25% of CML patients.

Base Composition↗

Interferon-alpha overrides the deficient adhesion of chronic myeloid leukemia primitive progenitor cells to bone marrow stromal cells.

Primitive blast colony-forming cells (BI-CFC) from chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients are defective in their attachment to bone marrow-derived stromal cells compared with normal BI-CFC. We investigated the effect of recombinant interferon-alpha 2a (IFN-alpha) on this interaction between hematopoietic progenitor cells and bone marrow-derived stromal cells by culturing normal stromal cells with IFN-alpha (50 to 5,000 U/mL). At 50 U/mL we found that: (1) the capacity of stromal cells to bind two types of CML primitive progenitor cells (BI-CFC and long-term culture-initiating cells) was increased; and (2) the amount of sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in the stromal layer was increased. However, sulfated GAGs were not directly involved in binding CML BI-CFC, unlike binding by normal BI-CFC, which is sulfated GAG-dependent. Neuraminidase-treated control stromal cells bound an increased number of CML BI-CFC, reproducing the effect of IFN-alpha, whereas the binding to IFN-alpha-treated stromal cells was unaffected by neuraminidase treatment. Thus, the enhanced attachment by primitive CML progenitor cells to INF-alpha-treated stromal cells might be due to changes in the neuraminic acid composition in the stromal cell layer. Our in vitro evidence may provide insights into the mechanism of action of IFN-alpha in vivo. Prolonged administration may alter the marrow microenvironment in some patients such that it can restrain the aberrant proliferation of Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-positive stem cells while permitting Ph-negative stem cells to function normally.

Bone Marrow↗

Sequential chemotherapy in good-prognosis patients with small-cell lung cancer.

A sequential combination chemotherapy regimen was evaluated in 23 patients with small-cell lung cancer (16, limited disease; 7, extensive disease). All patients had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1, normal serum sodium and albumin levels and alkaline phosphatase values of less than 1.5 times the upper limit of normal. Treatment comprised ifosfamide and either vindesine or vincristine given on weeks 0, 2 and 4; cisplatin and etoposide given on weeks 6, 9 and 12; and doxorubicin and methotrexate given on weeks 15 and 17. The overall response rate at the end of chemotherapy was 91% and the complete response rate was 43%. Treatment was generally well tolerated and the delivered dose intensity was 83% of that projected. Median survival was 54 weeks, with 4 patients (17%) being alive 2 years after the completion of therapy.

Adult↗

Effects of ovarian hormones on sexual receptivity, proceptivity, and motivation in olfactory bulbectomized female rats.

The purpose of the present experiment was to assess the effect of olfactory bulbectomy and ovarian hormones on female sexual motivation. Ovariectomized female rats underwent either bilateral bulbectomy or sham surgery. Females received one of four subthreshold hormone treatments: 0% estradiol (E2) plus 500 micrograms progesterone (P), 100% E2 alone, 10% E2 plus 500 micrograms P, or 100% E2 plus 500 micrograms P. Sexual motivation (as indicated by a female's preference for a sexually active male over a castrated male) and proceptivity (dart and ear wiggling sequences) were measured in a three compartment partner preference apparatus. Sexual receptivity (lordosis) was measured separately in a glass arena with a sexually active male. Results showed that olfactory bulb removal facilitates sexual receptivity and proceptivity in females exposed to 10% or 100% E2 in combination with 500 micrograms P. In contrast, sexual motivation was only demonstrated by olfactory bulbectomized females which received 100% E2 in combination with 500 micrograms P. These findings support the hypothesis that olfactory bulbectomy induces a behavioral hypersensitivity to estrogen, and suggest that sexual motivation is an estrogen-mediated response which requires a higher level of estrogen stimulation than sexual receptivity and proceptivity.

Animals↗

The spectrum of molecular alterations in the evolution of chronic myelocytic leukemia.

DNA from 135 patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) at various clinical stages and Philadelphia (Ph1) chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia was investigated for alterations in a variety of proto-oncogenes which have been implicated in the evolution of CML from its chronic phase to blast crisis. The most common genetic change found in the evolution of typical Ph1 chromosome positive CML to blast crisis was an alteration of the p53 gene involving either a rearrangement, a deletion, or a point mutation in the coding sequence of the gene. Alterations of the p53 gene were found in the myeloid and the rare megakaryocytic variant of blast crisis but were absent in the lymphoid leukemic transformants. Gross structural alterations were seen in 11 of 54 (20%) of myeloid or unknown phenotypes of blast crisis and in only 1 of 44 chronic phase cases. Eight examples of mutations in the open reading frame of the p53 gene at codons 49, 53, 60, 140, 202, 204, 238, and 239 were observed in blast crisis patients. Mutations in the N-RAS gene were rare in typical blast crisis (2 of 27 cases) but were found in megakaryocytic and Ph1 negative myeloid blast crisis. We concluded that heterogeneous alterations in the p53 gene and occasionally in the N-RAS genes accompany the evolution of chronic phase CML to blast crisis.

Blotting, Northern↗

S-phase population analysis does not correlate with the cytotoxicity of camptothecin and 10,11-methylenedioxycamptothecin in human colon carcinoma HT-29 cells.

Previous studies in rapidly proliferating rodent cells have suggested that the lethal effect of the DNA topoisomerase I inhibitor, camptothecin (CPT) is dependent upon the active participation of DNA replication (Holm et al. Cancer Res. 49:6365-6368; 1989). The purpose of the current study was to determine if this relationship applies to more slowly growing human cells. In our present study, we employed the human colon carcinoma cell line, HT-29 (45 hr doubling time). Flow cytometric determination of S-phase cells either by S-phase fit model or rectangle fit model analysis predicted that 21% of exponentially growing HT-29 cells were undergoing DNA replication. These findings were confirmed by immunofluorescence microscopy of bromodeoxyuridine labeled cells. Based on these findings, we would have expected only 20-30% of the cells to be susceptible to brief treatment (30 min) with CPT. Instead, 90-95% of HT-29 cells were killed. This apparent disparity was not due to prolonged cellular retention of drug after treatment because protein-linked DNA strand breaks reversed within 15 min of drug removal. Moreover, the DNA replication inhibitor, aphidicolin, fully protected HT-29 cells against CPT-induced killing but did not affect the production of CPT-induced protein-linked DNA strand breaks. Similar results were also obtained using the CPT-analog, 10,11-methylenedioxy-camptothecin, which was 5- to 10-fold more potent than camptothecin (O'Connor et al. Cancer Commun. 2:395-400; 1990).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Long-range mapping of the normal BCR gene.

Pulsed field gel electrophoresis was used to construct a long-range map of the normal BCR gene. A single BssHII restriction fragment encompasses all the known exons of the BCR gene (except a small 5' part of exon one). MIuI has one restriction site within the first intron of the BCR gene and another 250 kb downstream. This MIuI fragment contains most of the BCR gene coding sequences apart from the first exon and contains more sequences downstream of the BCR gene than the BssHII fragment. The NarI restriction sites are very close to the BssHII sites in the BCR gene, but they differ in the ABL gene, so that NarI digests could theoretically provide additional information in chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) patients. This map was used to confirm BCR gene involvement in two CML patients in whom results of conventional Southern blotting of DNA were ambiguous. It was also used in a third patient to demonstrate the presence of a breakpoint apparently outside the BCR gene. Preliminary evidence from the use of PFGE confirms the presence of three BCR-related genes homologous to 3' sequences in the classical BCR gene (BCR-1). These BCR-related genes are located at a considerable distance from BCR-1.

Chromosome Mapping↗

Autotransplants in chronic myelogenous leukaemia: strategies and results.

Autotransplants are increasingly used in chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML). Most are performed in advanced leukaemia; now, autotransplants in chronic phase are being evaluated. Treatment involves high-dose chemotherapy with or without radiation followed by a transplant of previously cryopreserved stem cells derived from bone marrow or blood. The transplanted bone marrow may be manipulated in vitro to remove CML cells. Results vary. Transplants in advanced CML usually re-establish chronic phase but responses are brief. After transplants in chronic phase some recipients become Philadelphia chromosome negative for a year or more; others remain Ph-chromosome positive. There are insufficient data to show whether these early transplants prolong chronic phase duration or increase survival. The incurability of CML by conventional therapy should encourage further studies of this approach.

Actuarial Analysis↗