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Biomedical subjects

P Franco

Publications and source records attributed to P Franco.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Hematoporphyrin derivative photoradiation therapy in murine solid tumors.

The cytocidal activity of light-activated hematoporphyrin derivative (Hpd) in experimental and human tumors is under investigation in many laboratories. This activity is based upon preferential incorporation of Hpd in malignant tissues and its photosensibilization by red light. Treatment of mice bearing MS-2 fibrosarcoma and B16 melanoma, a metastastic tumor, with Hpd and laser light, externally or delivered through a quartz fiber optic imbedded directly into the tumor, significantly prolonged the median survival time. This therapy was compared with surgical excision of primary tumors, and preliminary results on metastatic neoplasm suggest that the photoradiation therapy is more effective than surgery.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Serotherapy of L1210 murine leukaemia--reasons for ineffectiveness of in vivo treatment by L.1 monoclonal antibody.

A monoclonal antibody (L.1), reacting in vitro specifically with L1210 leukaemia cells in a complement-dependent cytotoxicity assay (CDC), has been exploited for serotherapy studies. Different regiments of L.1 treatment of CD2F1 mice bearing the semi-syngeneic L1210 leukaemia did not prolong the life span of tumor-bearing animals. Moreover, the administration of L.1 did not enhance the antitumour effects of cyclophosphamide. Studies of in vivo localization showed that L.1 was able to bind specifically to L1210 leukaemic cells, although 30-40% of the cells remained negative. The presence of L.1 in mouse blood was demonstrated up to 15 days after the inoculation. On the other hand, in vivo administration of L.1 was probably accompanied by loss of the cytotoxic activity, perhaps through a mechanism of complement inactivation, since the presence of undiluted normal mouse serum in a CDC assay inhibited the cytotoxic activity of L.1. Moreover, serum from L.1-treated mice did not display any cytotoxic activity, although the presence of the antibody could be demonstrated by indirect immunofluorescence. Shedding of the antigen defined by L.1 was probably not responsible for the failure of the serotherapy, since the L.1 neutralizing antigen could be found in body fluids only long after the start of therapy.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

A reproducible canine model of esophageal varices.

One of the most promising nonoperative techniques for control of variceal hemorrhage is sclerosis via the fiberoptic endoscope. Many questions remain, however, about sclerosing agents, guidelines for effective use, and limitations of endoscopic techniques. A reproducible large animal model of esophageal varices would facilitate the critical evaluation of techniques for variceal hemostasis or sclerosis. Our purpose was to develop a large animal model of esophageal varices. Studies in pigs and dogs are described which led to the development of a reproducible canine model of esophageal varices. For the final model, mongrel dogs had laparotomy, side-to-side portacaval shunt, inferior vena cava ligation, placement of an ameroid constrictor around the portal vein, and liver biopsy. The mean (+/- SE) pre- and postshunt portal pressure increased significantly from 12 +/- 0.4 to 23 +/- 1 cm saline. Weekly endoscopies were performed to grade the varix size. Two-thirds of animals developed medium or large sized esophageal varices after the first operation. Three to six weeks later, a second laparotomy with complete ligation of the portal vein and liver biopsy were performed in animals with varices (one-third of the animals). All dogs developed esophageal varices and abdominal wall collateral veins of variable size 3-6 wk after the first operation. After the second operation, the varices became larger. Shunting of blood through esophageal varices via splenic and gastric veins was demonstrated by angiography. Sequential liver biopsies were normal. There was no morbidity or mortality. Ascites, encephalopathy, or spontaneous variceal bleeding did not occur. We have documented the lack of size change and the persistence of medium to large esophageal varices and abdominal collateral veins in all animals followed for more than 6 mo. Variceal bleeding could be induced by venipuncture for testing endoscopic hemostatic and sclerosis methods. We suggest other potential uses of this reproducible canine model of esophageal varices.

Abdominal Muscles↗
PubMed1982

Macrophage antitumor activity induced by the antigenic lymphoma L5178Y/DTIC subline.

Murine leukemic cells, after in vivo treatment with antineoplastic drugs, have been shown to express new antigenic specificities that were not detectable on parental cells and that were heritable after the withdrawal of drug treatment. A study was conducted of macrophage antitumor activity triggered by LY/DTIC cells, a subline of LY murine lymphoma, antigenically altered by the drug DTIC. In vitro non-specific inhibition of tumor cell growth was exhibited by spleen and peritoneal macrophages from mice previously challenged with viable LY/DTIC. Peritoneal macrophages from LY/DTIC immune animals showed moderate, although significant lytic activity against unrelated tumor target cells. Supernatants from mixed lymphocyte-tumor cell cultures, in which LY/DTIC immune lymphocytes and LY/DTIC tumor cells had been cultured, rendered normal macrophages non-specifically growth inhibitory for tumor cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity against drug-induced antigens in L5178Y mouse lymphoma.

In vivo treatment with antineoplastic compounds has been reported to lead to the expression of new antigenic specificities which were not detected on parental cells, and which were transmissible as a genetic character. The current study is concerned with antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxic (ADCC) activity in serum of syngeneic mice challenged with LY/DTIC cells, a subline of LY murine lymphoma, antigenically altered by the drug DTIC. LY/DTIC target cells coated with LY/DTIC-immune serum were specifically lysed by virgin lymphocytes. The genetic background of the effector cells, whether syngeneic, allogeneic or xenogeneic, did not produce significant differences in the percentage of target-cell lysis. ADCC activity was reduced when the immune serum was added directly to the incubation medium, without precoating. Although sera from individual animals exhibited different levels of ADCC activity, they nevertheless followed the general trend of the pooled sera. Peak activity of ADCC was obtained in the sera collected on Days 8 and 30 after LY/DTIC cell challenge. The ADCC activity elicited by LY/DTIC cells may contribute to the rejection of drug-altered tumour cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

In vitro lymphocyte stimulation and the generation of cytotoxic lymphocytes with drug-induced antigenic lymphomas.

New antigenic specificities, not detectable on parental cells and transmissible after the withdrawal of the drug treatment, have been induced in mouse lymphomas. Studies were conducted of proliferative stimulation of syngeneic lymphocytes and the generation of cytotoxic lymphocytes (CL's) in a mixed lymphocyte-tumor cell culture system by 5-(3,3-dimethyl-1-triazeno)imidazole-4-carboxamide (DTIC)-induced antigens in L1210 and EL4 leukemia sublines. The DTIC-induced antigens were observed to stimulate [3H]thymidine uptake by normal and primed syngeneic lymphocytes and to generate specific CL's to DTIC-altered cells. The specificity of the in vitro immune reactivity was demonstrated. Characteristics of lymphocyte triggering, including the optimal ratio of stimulating cells to responding cells, the kinetics of CL activation, and the quantitation of CL activity, were also evaluated. DTIC antigens on leukemic cells can activate syngeneic lymphocytes and can act as target antigens in cell-mediated immunity. The experimental data support the transplantation antigen-like nature of DTIC-induced antigens.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Immunosensitivity and histocompatibility antigens in drug-altered leukemic cells.

New antigenic properties of experimental lymphomas have been reported previously following in vivo treatment with antitumor agents. 5-(3,3-Dimethyl-1-triazeno)imidazole-4-carboxamide (DIC) induced new antigenic characteristics on L1210 and L5178Y lymphomas, that were previously investigated in studies in animals compatible with the original untreated parental tumors. Here the L1210/DIC and L5178Y/DIC susceptibility to the cytotoxic effects of allogeneic and xenogeneic lymphocytes and sera obtained from animals sensitized to DBA/2 histocompatibility antigens were studied. The original and the DIC tumors showed the same sensitivity to anti-DBA/2 cellular and humoral cytotoxicity. The immune response electied in allogeneic mice by the original and DIC sublines was evaluated by in vitro cell-mediated and humoral cytotoxic assay. Beyond the immune response to histocompatibility antigens, a specific, anti-DIC-antigen immunoreaction was not found. Inhibition assay of the cell-mediated cytotoxicity and absorption of the humoral cytotoxicity demonstrated that DIC-induced antigens are not reciprocally related in cell-surface concentration to the natural DBA/2 histocompatibility antigens associated with tumor cells of DIC lines. An experiment was conducted in which specific activity against the DIC-treated L5178Y/DIC cells was observed with anti-L5178Y/DIC rabbit immune serum absorbed with the parental L5178Y lymphoma. This finding provides additional support to previous studies indicating that treatment with DIC induced new antigens on the lymphoma cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

Changes of the immunogenic properties of a radiation-induced mouse lymphoma following treatment with antitumor drugs.

Eight sublines of the radiation-induced lymphoma S-1033 of C57BL/10 (hereafter called B10) origin were established by exposing the cells in vivo to eight antineoplastic agents for a number of transplant generations. The parental and drug-treated sublines were tested for immunogenic properties, i.e., the ability to elicit allograft reactions in the host of origin and in congenic-resistant mice differing for the S-D or K-I-S regions of the H-2 complex. Lymphoma S-1033 and all drug-treated sublines except one were found to be essentially nonimmunogenic for B10 mice. The S-DIC subline, when exposed for 8 to 12 transplant generations to dimethyltriazenoimidazolecarboxamide, became immunogenic for syngeneic B10 mice, as judged from prolongation of survival time. Large i.v. inocula (10(7) cells) of S-1033 and of the drug-treated sublines, with the possible exception of the cyclophosphamide-treated and dimethyltriazenoimideazolecarboxamide-treated lymphomas, were more effectively rejected by K-I-S- than by S-D-incompatible mice. Dilution escape (i.e., tumor rejection after challenge with large inocula, and lethal tumor growth after injection of small inocula of lymphoma cells in allogeneic recipients) occurred in K-I-S-incompatible mice that were inoculated with S-1033 and three drug-treated (5-fluorouracil, cyclophosphamide, and pyrazocarboxamideamino) sublines. No dilution escape occurred with dimethyltriazenoimidazolecarboxamide or bischloroethylnitrosourea sublines. These data favor the hypothesis that various types of immunogenic changes of neoplastic cells may occur in tumor-bearing hosts following treatment with antineoplastic agents in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Inhibitory effect of somatostatin on human T lymphocytes proliferation.

Somatostatin (SOM) was originally described as a growth hormone release inhibiting factor, but SOM and its specific receptors (SOM-r) have been shown to be expressed on both normal and activated T and B lymphocytes and other immunocompetent cells. In the present study we have demonstrated that SOM strongly inhibits the proliferation of human T lymphocytes when stimulated by PHA, Con A or alloantigens. However, SOM was most effective when the T cells were stimulated by an alloantigen rather than a polyclonal activator such as PHA and ConA. Moreover, SOM strongly inhibited the expression of activation markers such as CD69 and CD25 that are expressed on T lymphocytes during alloantigen stimulation. SOM also inhibited both CD28 and CD2 mediated T cell proliferation. Whereas proliferation of T cells induced by the engagement of CD3 antigen using specific mAbs was only marginally affected. Our results would support the concept that in humans SOM plays a key role in the modulation of T cell activation by interfering with the antigen-independent pathways CD2 and CD28.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Functional studies of H-2k-like epitopes on DTIC treated and untreated L1210 (H-2d) clones.

Following 'in vivo' treatment with 5-(3-3'-dimethyl-1-triazeno)imidazole-4-carboxamide (DTIC), murine leukemic cells acquire new antigenic specificities not detectable on parental cells and responsible for the rejection of the tumour by syngeneic hosts. 'In vivo' and 'in vitro' experiments pointed out an immunological cross reactivity between DTIC treated and untreated lines. Furthermore, specific CTLs raised against DTIC treated L1210 tumour cells (H-2d) were cytotoxic for H-2k target cells. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the H-2k cross reactivity displayed by L1210/DTIC is related to the drug treatment rather than due to an antigen already present in the parental line and maintained after treatment. Cloned cells from L1210, obtained by limiting dilution 'in vitro', were recloned 'in vivo' and then treated with DTIC. Syngeneic and allogeneic CTLs raised 'in vitro' against parental and treated clones showed lytic activity against H-2k target cells. Treated and untreated clones were then checked for the presence of H-2k-like determinants using monoclonal antibodies. One of these, HB-53 (IgG2bKkDk) was highly positive with all the clones tested in binding assay using iodinated Fab anti-mouse Ig, fluorescence and FACS analysis. Others displayed a low reactivity against both treated and untreated clones without significant differences. After neuraminidase treatment of two clones (D and D/DTIC), the H-100.5 (anti H-2Kk)-reactive epitope was dramatically exposed on the DTIC tumour cells but not on the parental clones. These data suggest that the H-2k cross reactivity is related to the presence of a TAA that is maintained after treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Inhibition of cellular DNA synthesis and lack of antileukemic activity by non-photoactivated hematoporphyrin derivative.

It has been reported that cytocidal activity of light-activated hematoporphyrin (HPD) within the cells might be exploited in the therapy of experimental and human cancer. As part of a project from this laboratory aimed to study some major biologic features of HPD, it was found that [3H]thymidine incorporation in tumor cells was highly inhibited as a consequence of HPD treatment. HPD-mediated inhibition, obtained by a treatment either in vitro or in vivo, was long lasting and independent of light activation. Cellular DNA synthesis was inhibited by non toxic doses of HPD which were not influential either cell viability or cell oncogenicity. In preliminary studies, HPD-treated cells accumulated in the G1 phase of the cell cycle as detected by cytofluorometric analysis. This finding is in keeping with a likely inhibition exerted in late G1 or at the beginning of the S phase of cell the cycle and might exclude a direct damage of the DNA synthetic machinery. Definitive loss of cell viability and cellular DNA inhibition was obtained immediately after the exposure of HPD-treated cells to He-Ne laser light. HPD-mediated cell lysis was dose dependent and in the other of magnitude of cytocidal doses in different cell systems. HPD antileukemic activity or HPD interactions with chemotherapeutic drugs was ruled out in L1210 leukemic mice.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

GGRGDSPCA peptide: a new antiscarring agent on glaucoma filtration surgery.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: GGRGDSPCA synthetic peptide competes for integrin receptor in scar formation after glaucoma filtering surgery in a rabbit model. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of this peptide and compare it with mitomycin on glaucoma filtering surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Posterior sclerectomy was performed in both eyes of 17 rabbits. The right eye received GGRGDSPCA (p605) at 0, 4, 8, 12, and 16 days after. Nine left eyes received saline as a control; the remaining 8 eyes received mitomycin C at 0.5 mg/mL intraoperative. Intraocular pressures and biomicroscopy were evaluated as well as bleb function. RESULTS: Intraocular pressure decreased significantly in both the peptide and mitomycin treated eyes in comparison with the saline group (P = 0.0003). Pressure was similar in both groups. The blebs showed filtrating function in a functional analysis at day 21 and 41 in the mitomycin cases as well as in the peptide group. Histologic analysis performed in both peptide and mitomycin groups showed inhibitory effect in fibrocellular and collagen organization with bleb formation. CONCLUSIONS: The p605 peptide showed to be similar to mitomycin C in controlling and improving glaucoma filtering surgery in rabbits. This alternative may potentially be useful for similar purposes in humans for the control of glaucoma and improvement of filtering surgery.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of the tiapamil analog RO11-2933 on cellular sensitivity to antitumor drugs in sensitive and multidrug resistant human ovarian cancer cells.

The ability of the Tiapamil analog N-(3,4 Dimethoxyphenyl)-N-methyl-2-(naphthyl)-m-dithiane-2-propylamine hydrocloride (RO11-2933) to influence the cytotoxic activity of Doxorubicin (DX) and seven other antitumor agents was evaluated in sensitive and treatment-induced multidrug resistant human ovarian cancer cells. In vitro treatment of A2780 sensitive cells with 1 microM RO11-2933 for 72hr potentiated by less than 3-fold the cytotoxic effects of each antitumor drug tested, with the exception of Cisplatin and Fluorouracil, which were potentiated by 7.2- and 5.0-fold, respectively. In A2780-DX3 resistant cells, RO11-2933 increased by a mean of 50-fold the cytotoxic effects of the anthracyclines and the Vinka alkaloids analyzed. A potentiation of Cisplatin activity was also observed (6.5-fold), whereas the Tiapamil analog did not significantly modify the antiproliferative activity of Bleomycin, Fluorouracil or Ara-C. Analysis of DX uptake and retention showed that in resistant cells RO11-2933 restored the intracellular DX content to levels comparable to those of sensitive A2780 cells, suggesting that the cytoplasmic membrane might represent a possible site of action of this compound. The results obtained indicate that RO11-2933 might represent an effective agent in combination with several anticancer drugs for the treatment of drug resistant ovarian carcinomas.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Ultradian chronomodulation by melatonin of a Placebo effect upon human killer cell activity.

The effect of melatonin injection evaluated earlier with respect to placebo-treated controls is reevaluated, also with reference to spontaneous changes in natural killer cell activity. This effect consists, first, of stimulation of natural killer cell activity over and above any changes brought about by placebo (saline). After 6 h, the melatonin effect appears to be an inhibition as compared to values from placebo-treated subjects, or no effect as compared to values from untreated subjects. In this case, amplification and attenuation of the placebo effect by melatonin are found within the relatively short span of 1/4 of a day, rather than within a day or a week. An ultradian 'feed-sideward' by melatonin may be aligned with the corresponding previously reported circadian and infradian chronomodulation.

Activity Cycles↗