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Biomedical subjects

P Furmanski

Publications and source records attributed to P Furmanski.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Spontaneous regression of Friend virus-induced erythroleukemia. III. The role of macrophages in regression.

The spontaneous regression of erythroleukemia induced by the RFV strain of Friend virus is a macrophage-dependent process. Functional suppression or elimination of the macrophage population in leukemic mice with silica, carrageenan, anti-macrophage serum, or trypan blue inhibited regression. Prior protection of the macrophages with PVNO allowed regression in silica or carrageenan-treated mice. Macrophage phagocytic activity was inhibited in about half the RFV-induced leukemic mice at 25 to 30 days post virus inoculation. Those animals with normal macrophages regressed, whereas whereas those with inhibited macrophages did not. Progressor mice could be induced to regress by inoculation with normal syngeneic macrophages; other cell types were ineffective. The inhibition of macrophage function in leukemic mice was the result of infection of the macrophages by virus. Removal of the infected cells by cytolysis with anti-virus antiserum and C restored the phagocytic activity of the population. Inhibited macrophages were less capable of responding to immobilized antigen-antibody complexes than normal macrophages, suggesting that the loss of function was due to a change in their Fc receptor.

Animals↗

Concanavalin A-mediated hemadsorption by normal and malignant human mammary epithelial cells.

The concanavalin A (Con A) reactivity of malignant and normal human mammary epithelial cells in culture was determined with a hemadsorption assay. Human erythrocytes were treated with various concentrations of Con A, and these indicator Red Blood Cells were incubated with the test cells in situ in culture dishes. The Con A concentration at which approximately 50% of the test cells adsorbed erythrocytes ([Con a] 1/2 max) was determined. Five malignant epithelial cell lines and the primary cultures derived from 3 pleural effusions and 20 solid tumors were tested. Primary cultures of normal epithelial cells were established from human milk samples obtained from 3 separate donors. The average [Con A] 1/2 max value for the 5 cell lines and the pleural effusion cultures was 6 and 5 microgram/ml, respectively. The average [Con A] 1/2 max value for the 20 solid breast tumors was 20 microgram/ml. In contrast to the malignant cells, normal mammary epithelial cells did not adsorb erythrocytes coated with as much as 100 microgram Con A per ml. These results show that Con A reactivity distinguishes normal from malignant human mammary epithelial cells.

Breast Neoplasms↗

Prognostic value of estrogen receptor determinations in patients with breast cancer.

The estrogen receptor content of human breast cancer specimens is related to the degree of differentiation (grade) of the tumor. In addition, patients with estrogen receptor-positive tumors experience fewer recurrences and remain disease free for a longer priod of time than do patients with receptor-negative tumors. The presence of estrogen receptor is not correlated with lymph node infiltration.

Adult↗

Spontaneous regression of Friend virus-induced erythroleukemia. I. The role of the helper murine leukemia virus component.

The RFV strain of the Friend virus complex induces an erythroleukemia that spontaneously regresses. The tropism of regressing Friend virus complex (RFV), which is conferred by its helper MuLV component, MuLV-RF, is different from that of the conventional virus strain, CFV. RFV is NB-tropic and CFV is N-tropic. Passage of nonregressing CFV through Fv-1 incompatible Swiss/ICR mice changed the tropism of CFV from N to NB and resulted in a virus strain which induced erythroleukemia that regressed. Passage of NB-tropic CFV back through Fv-1 compatible mice maintained NB-tropism and regression. Altering the quantity or type of helper MuLV in RFV complex by addition of Ri-MuLV inhibited regression in proportion to the amount of added Ri-MuLV. These studies indicate a relationship between a change in virus tropism to NB by passage in certain hosts (e.g., Swiss/ICR mice) and the ability of Friend virus to induce erythroleukemia that spontaneously regresses. MuLV-RF isolated from the RFV complex induced lymphocytic leukemia in newborn mice which regressed and caused the regression of CFV-induced erythroleukemia. MuLV-RF is NB-tropic, contains no spleen focus-forming virus (SFFV) activity and helps SFFV form spleen foci in genetically restrictive mice. Pseudotype viruses were prepared, consisting of MuLV-RF, or other MuLV's, and SFFV derived from FV-B. The pseudotype viruses each acquired the tropism of the MuLV used in rescue. The pseudotype prepared with MuLV-RF or another NB-tropic MuLV-F, but not the virus obtained by rescue with N-tropic MuLV-F, induced erythroleukemia that spontaneously regressed. These studies demonstrate that the ability of RFV to induce erythroleukemia that spontaneously regresses is due to its helper MuLV component.

Animals↗

Spontaneous regression of Friend virus-induced erythroleukemia. II. regression of Friend murine leukemia virus-induced lymphocytic leukemia.

We characterized several aspects of spontaneous regression of lymphocytic leukemia in mice. The disease, induced by the helper murine leukemia virus (MuLV) component obtained from the regressing Friend virus complex (RFV), was characterized by spleen and lymph node enlargement, thymus involvement, and anemia. Leukemia regression occurred in about 25% of infected mice and resulted in the return of lymphoid organs to near-normal weight and normal histology and the recovery from anemia. A tenfold to 1,000-fold decrease in virus titer was seen in those mice in which leukemia regressed when compared to leukemic animals, although infectious virus was still recoverable from apparently normal spleens. The sera of mice in which leukemia regressed contained potent virus-neutralizing activity that was associated mainly with immunoglobulins. These studies firmly supported the evidence that the regressing phenotype of RFV was due to its helper MuLV component (MuLV-RF).

Animals↗

Differentiation of normal human mammary epithelial cells in culture: an ultrastructural study.

An ultrastructural and cytochemical study of normal human mammary epithelial cells cultured from post-weaning breast fluids is described. Cells were examined at the time of plating and at intervals up to 28 days in culture. Three different stages in the morphological differentiation of these cells in vitro were observed: (1) the first stage was the formation of a monolayer of single cells, which occurred between days 1 and 10 in culture. The cells in this stage were not interconnected by junctional complexes and lacked Mg++- dependent ATPase activity in the plasma membranes, but did contain a large quantity of lipid and exhibited some secretory characteristics. (2) The second stage, occurring at 10 to 16 days in culture, was characterized by the formation of junctional complexes, the appearance of Mg++-dependent ATPase in the plasma membrane and a decrease in the number of dense bodies with peroxidase activity. (3) The third stage, occurring at 16 to 28 days in culture, was characterized by the formation of stratified layers of epithelial cells, which were interconnected by a larger number of desmosomes with numerous pleomorphic microfilaments. The Mg++-dependent ATPase activity in the plasma membrane was retained and the dense bodies with peroxidase activity were rarely observed at this stage. During the last seven days were prominent in the cells of the stratified layer. After 28 days in the culture, the cells began to round up and slough off the culture plate.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Effects of thymectomy and antithymocyte serum on spontaneous regression of Friend virus-induced erythroleukemia.

To evaluate the role of immune response in regression of leukemia, we studied the effect of immunosuppression on the spontaneous regression of a leukemia induced by a specific strain of Friend murine leukemia virus complex (RFV). Thymectomy of newborn but not adult outbred Swiss mice markedly inhibited regression. The effect of antithymocyte serum (ATS) on regression depended on the timing of ATS treatment. Regression was markedly inhibited in leukemic mice given ATS just before the start of regression. During leukemia development, ATS treatment but not thymectomy potentiated splenomegaly and delayed the start of regression. Both ATS treatment and neonatal thymectomy increased mortality as a function of the decrease in disease regression. Treatment with normal rabbit serum also inhibited regression but, when given during leukemia development, affected neither the splenomegalic response to RFV nor the number of deaths. The data demonstrated that an intact immune system was required for leukemia regression and suggested that some thymus-dependent parameter of immune response was a major factor in regression.

Animals↗

Identification and isolation of the major core protein from the oncornavirus-like particle in human milk.

Subviral cores have been prepared from the oncornavirus-like particle found in human milks with the use of phospholipase C and ether or Sterox SL. The major protein of these cores has a molecular weight of 27,000 daltons, as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This protein is found in the core fractions of reverse transcriptase-positive milks and is absent in negative milks. It is distributed in sucrose gradients only in those fractions containing cores and reverse transcriptase activity. The major core protein of the human milk oncornavirus-like particle is electrophoretically identical to the major core protein of the mouse mammary tumor virus.

Animals↗

Spontaneous regression of friend virus induced leukemia: coinfection with regressing and conventional strains of virus.

Mixtures of friend virus (CFV) and the regressing strain of friend virus (RFV) induce leukemia which regresses. The dominance of the regressing phenotype is solely a function of a threshold dose of RFV. The minimum amount of RFV which induced regression of CFV leukemia is below the titer for induction of friend disease, but does correlate ith the titer of lymphocytic leukemia (helper) activity in the these stocks.

Animals↗

An ultrastructural study of normal human mammary epithelial cells in culture.

The ultrastructure of normal human mammary cells cultured from post-weaning breast fluids is described. Cells from confluent monolayers in two week old cultures were studied. The epithelial nature of these cells was established by the demonstration of a well developed system of cell-to-cell interdigitation and numerous desmosomes. These cells also share with breast epithelial cells in vivo, polarity, with blunt short microvilli on the apical surface and an oriented arrangement of organelles in the basal and apical portions of the cells. The Golgi apparatus, which is the most highly developed organelle, is localized in the apical pole and contains substantial quantities of secretory material in the cisternae and vesicles. A variegated palisade of finely granular material mixed with tonofilaments is seen in the basal portion of the cells; many of these tonofilaments end in the terminal web of the desmosomes. The regular occurrence of these cells in breast fluids during the terminal phases of lactation suggests that their separation is a part of normal breast involution.

Breast↗