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Biomedical subjects

J W Freeman

Publications and source records attributed to J W Freeman.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Medicine and life.

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Ethics, Medical↗

Prognostic significance of proliferation associated nucleolar antigen P120 in human breast carcinoma.

Nucleolar antigen P120 is detected in rapidly proliferating cells but not in normal resting cells or in many benign and slowly growing malignant tumors. The objective of the study was to determine whether the expression of P120 in breast cancer correlated with histopathological or biological properties associated with prognosis. In this retrospective study, 120 primary breast tumors were analyzed for P120; 114 of these tumors were also stained for the erbB-2 protein. Immunopositive staining was correlated with patient survival, nodal status, estrogen receptor levels, and number of mitoses. Sixty-nine % (83 of 120) of the tumors were positive for P120; 25% (28 of 114) stained positively for erbB-2. Of the 28 erbB-2 positive tumors 26 were also positive for the P120 protein. Forty-six % (55 of 120) of the specimens were from patients who later died from recurrent breast cancer; P120 was detected in 89% (49 of 55) of these specimens. In 52% of the survivors the P120 protein was also expressed. P120 negative tumors were highly correlative with survival (P = 0.0001); 84% (32 of 37) of patients with P120 negative tumors survived more than 7 years without evidence of recurrent disease. Multivariate analysis showed that the worst prognosis was for patients who had tumor positive nodes and expressed P120 (P = 0.0001); death occurred in 73% (30 of 41) of these patients. For the node negative patients who did not express P120, 5-year survival was 90% (19 of 21 patients); 5-year survival for the node negative patients who expressed P120 was significantly less (67%; 28 of 42 patients). Patients with P120 negative tumors had a good prognosis, irrespective of their nodal status. In this group, survival of node negative patients was 86% (18 of 21) and for those with positive nodes survival was 82% (13 of 16). A poor prognosis was found for patients with intense erbB-2 stained tumors (5 of 7 patients died). Weak staining of erbB-2 tumors (21 specimens) was not correlated with patient survival. Compared to P120 negative tumors, P120 positive tumors had greater numbers of mitoses (9.06 versus 6.65) and an almost 2-fold increase in the occurrence of positive nodes (one of every 4.67 versus one of every 8.81). The number of P120 positive tumors was greater in estrogen receptor positive tumors (75%) than in estrogen negative tumors (54%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Biomarkers, Tumor↗

Nucleolar protein P120 and its targeting for cancer chemotherapy.

Identification of the G1-P120 antigen with the aid of the monoclonal antibody to its "human-specific epitope" has resulted in rapid development of information on its molecular biology. With the monoclonal antibody, it rapidly became possible to identify and subsequently sequence its cDNA and with cDNA clones to isolate and sequence its genomic DNA. It was demonstrated that the protein had 4 major domains: a basic domain, an acidic domain, a hydrophobic and methionine-rich domain and a domain rich in cysteine and proline residues. In addition to a nuclear recognition signal, the epitope region is juxtaposed to phosphorylation sites. The epitope region contains the sequence Gln-Ala-Ala-Ala-Gly-Ile-Asn-Trp which is unique to the human P120 molecule; this may be a site for drug attack either by analogs to the region or by novel constructs based on antisense oligonucleotides. When tumor cells were transfected with antisense constructs of the P120 gene, growth rates were markedly reduced. 3T3 cells transformed by transfection with the P120 gene reverted to a nontransformed state by subsequent transfection and activation of a P120 antisense construct. Opportunities for control of malignant cells with antisense oligonucleotides are currently under study.

3T3 Cells↗

Monoclonal antibodies to human tumor nucleolar antigens: probes for studying biological function and determining clinical significance.

Using novel strategies, monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were developed to two proliferation-associated nucleolar antigens. These two new antigens, termed P145 and P120, according to their molecular weights, were found in a broad range of tumor tissues. Overall, P120 was more restricted in its distribution than P145 because it was absent from many benign tumors and some malignant tumors. Using the MAbs as probes, antigens P145 and P120 were localized to separate nucleolar components. P145 was mainly associated with high molecular weight nucleolar RNPs. Antigen P120 was localized to a novel beaded microfibril found in a nucleolar residue fraction. DNAse and high salt treatment of this fraction provided optimal extraction of the P120 antigen. P145 and P120 differed from other proliferation-associated nuclear/nucleolar antigens identified by autoimmune sera and by other MAbs. In PHA stimulated lymphocytes, both antigens were expressed in early G1 prior to or concurrent with increased RNA Pol I transcription. Microinjection of tumor cells with the P120 MAb inhibited cell proliferation and blocked the appearance of nucleolar pleomorphism that is characteristic of tumor cells. Clinical studies showed that P145 was not detected in normal bone marrow but was expressed in leukemic marrows (AML); the percentage of P145 positive cells correlated with percentage of malignant blasts (Raza et al., Am. Soc. Hematology, 1990). Antigen P145 was detected in 10 of 39 marrows from patients in complete remission. This result suggested that these cells have a higher proliferative potential than normal stem cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Adult Arnold-Chiari malformation: a report of two cases.

It is very rare for an Arnold-Chiari malformation to not cause symptoms until adulthood. This paper presents two such cases. The pathology, natural history, diagnosis, and management of the Adult Arnold-Chiari malformation are discussed.

Adult↗

Purification and characterization of an inducible sesquiterpene cyclase from elicitor-treated tobacco cell suspension cultures.

An elicitor-inducible sesquiterpene cyclase, which catalyzes the conversion of farnesyl diphosphate to 5-epi-aristolochene (IM Whitehead, DR Threlfall, DF Ewing [1989] Phytochemistry 28:775-779) and representing a committed step in the phytoalexin biosynthetic pathway in tobacco, was purified by a combination of hydrophobic interaction, anion exchange, hydroxylapatite, and chromatofocusing chromatography. From 2 kilograms of elicited tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) cells, approximately 500 micrograms of cyclase protein was purified, representing greater than a 130-fold increase in the specific activity of the enzyme and a 4% recovery of the starting activity. The purified enzyme resolved as two major polypeptides of 60 and 62 kilodaltons by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Biochemical characterization of the enzyme activity included an absolute requirement for magnesium, an isoelectric point of 4.5 to 4.9, and a K(m) for farnesyl diphosphate of 2 to 5 micromolar. The purified cyclase protein was used to generate mouse polyclonal antibodies which efficiently inhibited cyclase activity in an in vitro assay. Electrophoresis of extracts from elicitor-treated cells or purified cyclase enzyme on native polyacrylamide gels separated the cyclase enzyme into four polypeptides as shown by immunoblot analysis using poly- and monoclonal antibodies. Proportionate cyclase enzyme activity comigrated with those polypeptides. No cyclase polypeptides were detectable in extracts of control cells by immunoblot analysis. However, immunoblot analysis of proteins from elicitor-treated cells using four independent monoclonal antibody lines and the polyclonal antibodies detected the same polypeptides, regardless of whether the proteins were separated by native or SDS-PAGE. The results suggest an induction of multiple cyclase polypeptides in elicitor-treated cells resulting from either the expression of multiple genes or multiple post-translational processing events.

Journal Article↗

Beneficence in medicine: a call to heroism.

This article analyzes the physician's role from the perspective of medical ethics, with emphasis on the principle of beneficence. The concept is advanced that the physician has an implicit contract with society, which obligates dedication to the patient's good. The essence of being a physician is seen to reside in an orientation to service.

Altruism↗

Expression of nucleolar antigen p145 in bone marrow cells of patients with myeloid leukemias.

The expression of a cell cycle-related nucleolar protein (p145) antigen was examined in the bone marrow aspirates of 45 individuals, three of whom had no malignant disease; 30 had a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and 12 suffered from chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). While no evidence of p145 expression was found in the three normal bone marrow samples, it was noted to be the highest in patients with active leukemia, be they AML or blastic crisis of CML. There was a direct correlation between the percentage of blasts and the percentage of p145-positive cells in all patients. Double labeling with tritiated thymidine and p145 in AML patients with active leukemia showed that the majority of S-phase cells contained p145. Myeloblasts in both chronic phase and blastic crisis of CML expressed p145. Nine of 12 AML patients studied during remission had less than 5% p145-positive cells, but three showed 11%, 16%, and 33% positive cells. Since functionally/morphologically, these marrows were normal, the appearance of p145 may indicate a proliferative abnormality preceding maturation arrest and development of relapse. Thus we conclude that p145 is more commonly associated with immature cells and may serve as an early indicator of relapse in AML, but requires further study with larger numbers of patients.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗

Proliferation-related nucleolar antigens P145 and P120 associated with separate nucleolar elements and differences in tissue distribution.

Nucleolar antigens p145 and p120 are associated with proliferating cells (Freeman, J.W.; McRorie, D.K.; Busch, R.K.; Gyorkey, P.; Gyorkey, F.; Ross, B.E.; Spohn, W.H.; Busch, H. Cancer Res. 46:3593; 1986 and Freeman, J.W.; Busch, R.K.; Gyorkey, P.; Gyorkey, F.; Ross, B.E.; Busch, H. Cancer Res. 48:1244; 1988) and are not detectable in normal resting cells. Recent immunoelectron microscopic studies (Ochs, R.L.; Reilly, M.T.; Freeman, J.W.; Busch, H. Cancer Res. 48:6523; 1988) suggest that the two antigens have overlapping nucleolar localizations. In this study the nucleolus was physicochemically and biochemically studied to determine whether p145 and p120 were associated with a common nucleolar component. Antigen p145 was associated with 40-80 S ribonucleoprotein particles (RNPs), and the p145 antigen was not detected in HeLa cells following in situ RNAse digestion. P120 was found in a 40-80 S, RNAse resistant complex. Sequential extraction of HeLa nucleoli showed that most of antigen p145 was extractable in 10 mM Tris with 0.2% deoxycholate, whereas p120 was found in a nucleolar residue fraction requiring DNAse and high salt treatment for optimal extraction. Neither antigen p145 nor p120 was detectable in normal resting tissues. Antigen p145 was detected in all proliferating tissues examined, including a variety of malignant tumors (ten of ten), benign tissues including adenomas and hyperplasias (eight of eight), and in normal proliferating cells such as colonic epithelium and spermatogonia of the testes. Antigen p120 was not detected in all tumors, being absent in three of seven lymphomas and in one melanoma examined.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Antigens, Nuclear↗

mRNA levels for human nucleolar protein P120 in tumor and nontumor cells.

A monoclonal antibody to a human tumor nucleolar 120 kD protein was developed by Freeman et al. (Cancer Res. 48: 1244-1251, 1988). Its complementary DNA (cDNA) has been isolated and sequenced (Fonagy et al., submitted). To determine the relative messenger RNA (mRNA) level for protein p120, cellular mRNA was extracted, slot-blotted onto nitrocellulose filters, and hybridized to radioactive p120 cDNA fragments. Human tumor cells contained 15-60 times more p120 mRNA than human term placenta. The rat Novikoff hepatoma ascites cell mRNA hybridized to the p120 cDNA probes, but the p120 monoclonal antibody did not react with the Novikoff hepatoma proteins. Novikoff hepatoma mRNA contained 8 times as much p120 mRNA as normal rat liver. As a control, a cDNA was used for protein B23, an abundant nucleolar protein; there were 3.5, 29, and 14 times more B23 mRNA than p120 mRNA in normal rat liver, Novikoff hepatoma ascites cells, and HeLa cells, respectively. Whereas the increased levels of the mRNA and protein B23 reflect increased activity of the nucleolus for any increment of nucleolar function, the increased levels of p120 mRNA and the p120 protein reflect the activity of the G1 phase of the cell cycle. The elevated level of p120 mRNA in tumors may reflect the heightened G1 cascade in transformed cells.

Animals↗