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S Segal

Publications and source records attributed to S Segal.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources

Characteristics of cystine uptake by cultured LLC-PK1 cells.

The characteristics of the uptake of L-cystine by LLC-PK1 cells were examined. The uptake diminished with time in culture after passage of cells while the uptake of sugar increased. In 48-h-cultured cells at a range of cystine concentrations including physiological levels uptake occurred via a saturable process which was independent of medium sodium concentration and pH. No inhibition of cystine uptake occurred in the presence of lysine which is known to share the cystine transport system in uncultured renal proximal tubule cells and brush-border membrane vesicles. Glutamate was a potent inhibitor of cystine uptake and participated in heteroexchange diffusion with cystine. The cystine-glutamate transport process resembles that of cultured human fibroblasts. The inability of these cells to reflect the genetically determined cystine-lysine system which is altered in the kidney in human cystinuria makes them an inappropriate model of the renal tubule cell cystine transport system. On the other hand, they may provide a model system for examining the factors which determine the presence of the various cystine transport process.

Amino Acids↗

Swiss 3T3 mouse embryo fibroblasts transfected with a human prepro-GRP gene synthesize and secrete pro-GRP rather than GRP.

A prepro-gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) gene was introduced into Swiss 3T3 mouse embryo fibroblasts by DNA transfection in an attempt to establish autocrine growth stimulation. Clonal transfectants expressed varying amounts of GRP encoding mRNA. They synthesized and secreted a approximately 15-kd pro-GRP hormone but not fully processed 2.8-kd GRP. Accordingly, no changes in growth properties were associated with GRP gene expression. We postulate that Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts lack the enzymes necessary to process significantly pro-GRP into biologically active peptides and that this deficiency may be responsible for the failure to establish autocrine growth stimulation in the transfected cells.

Animals↗

NK sensitivity, H-2, c-K-ras proto-oncogene expression and metastases: analysis of the metastatic potential of H-2 gene transfected fibrosarcoma cells.

The transformation of a potentially neoplastic cell into an autonomous highly malignant and metastatic tumor cell involves a multifactorial cascade of events. This will eventually lead not only to the emergence of a tumor cell with an unlimited potential of replication, but more important will contribute to its ability to ignore and evade homeostatic immune and non-immune regulatory mechanisms. Specifically, those mechanisms which may restrict and direct its growth, dissemination, patterns of differentiation and interaction with the cellular and humoral factors comprising its environment. However, many different factors may contribute to a highly invasive and malignant phenotype. It is obvious that one should expect that a cardinal role should be assigned to alterations in those factors which contribute to the capacity of the malignant cells with its environment at the cell membrane level, which in turn is dependent on the concerted functional expression of specialized membrane associated components (i.e. receptors, cyto adhesion molecules (CAM's), histocompatibility antigens, GAP junction complexes, extracellular matrix components, etc.). In the present studies, we have investigated the contribution of three major factors, which maybe the cause or result of alterations at the level of the cell membrane: MHC encoded antigen expression, susceptibility to the cytolytic activity of NK cells and enhanced expression of the c-K-ras proto-oncogene, as to their development of metastatic capacity of a malignant cell. To address these questions, we used metastatic (IE7) and non-metastatic (IC9) variants of the murine 3-methylcholanthrene induced T-10 fibrosarcoma. Using this system, the following major conceptually important observations were made: A. The restoration by transfection of the expression of membrane associated H-2K encoded glycoproteins abrogates the metastatic capacity of the highly metastatic tumor cell clone, IE7, irrespective of the degree of susceptibility to NK or c-K-ras oncogene expression. This reduction in metastatic capacity is followed by a significant decrease in its tumorigenicity which is concomitant with its ability to induce in vivo potent H-2K restricted CTL's. These results clearly indicate that H-2K region encoded molecules play no apparent role in determining the susceptibility of tumor cells to NK cells, and yet their loss or aberrant expression is a cardinal event in tumor progression towards metastatic capacity, a fact which is supported by similar observations achieved in other murine models (18).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

Influence of H-2K transfection on susceptibility of fibrosarcoma tumor cells to natural killer (NK) cells.

In this study, we have used the T-10 fibrosarcoma tumor cells to further analyze the relationship between metastatic competence, expression of H-2K antigens and susceptibility to lysis by virus augmented NK cells in vitro. Our results show an inverse correlation between metastatic properties of the original T-10 clones, IC9 and IE7, and susceptibility in vitro to lysis by virus-augmented NK cells. Restoration by transfection of expression of H-2K genes (H-2Kb or H-2Kk) led to the alteration of the metastatic phenotype of the tumors cells, yet had minor influence on the putative susceptibility of these clones to NK. These observations suggest that expression of MHC gene products, while affecting metastases, does not exclusively determine sensitivity to NK cells.

Animals↗

Timing of specimen collection is crucial in urine screening of drug dependent mothers and newborns.

We compared results of urine drug analysis with clinical data and history to test the usefulness of peripartum drug screening and to establish guidelines for optimal testing. Urine from 28 mothers and 52 babies was analysed. Drugs not suspected by history were found in 10 mothers and six babies. Results assisted in the management of neonatal withdrawal in three babies. Drugs suspected by history were not found in 11/22 mothers and 23/35 babies. About half of these results were associated with delayed urine collection. In 12/28 mothers, drugs administered in hospital could have confused interpretation of screen results. We conclude that urine drug screening without strict protocols for specimen collection is of limited usefulness for management of drug abuse in pregnancy and neonatal drug withdrawal. We favour testing of maternal urine obtained before drugs are administered in hospital. Neonatal urine, if used, should be collected in the first day of life.

Drug Evaluation, Preclinical↗

Isovaleric acidemia: medical and neurodevelopmental effects of long-term therapy.

Nine patients with isovaleric acidemia were treated with a low-protein diet and supplemental glycine for up to 10 years. Carnitine was added to the therapy in four patients. Overall, the treatment was well tolerated, resulting in no significant side effects other than persistent hyperglycinemia. Normal growth was observed in all patients. Of four patients with the chronic phenotype, three, whose treatment was delayed beyond the first year of life, are mentally retarded. Two of five patients with the acute phenotype are retarded. The outcome in these two was complicated in one by neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage and in the other by therapeutic noncompliance. In our patients, only those who were treated successfully from early infancy and had no complications did not develop mental retardation. After initiation of therapy, there was a significant decrease in ketoacidotic attacks requiring hospitalization. Glycine is indicated for the treatment of acute ketoacidosis in these patients; none of the catastrophically ill newborn who received glycine died. The aim of treatment is to reduce the isovaleric acid burden to a minimum. Therapy consisting of leucine restriction with supplemental glycine and carniline should be started as soon as possible after birth.

Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors↗

L-myc cooperates with ras to transform primary rat embryo fibroblasts.

Recent molecular analysis has revealed that L-myc has several domains of extremely conserved amino acid sequence homology with c-myc and N-myc, suggesting similarity of function. We tested the biologic activity of L-myc by using an expression vector containing a cDNA clone coding for the major open reading frame in the 3.9-kilobase mRNA of L-myc under the control of a strong promoter (Moloney long terminal repeat) and found that L-myc complemented an activated ras gene in transforming primary rat embryo fibroblasts. However, the efficiency of transformation was 1 to 10% of that seen with the c-myc and simian virus 40 (SV40) controls. The L-myc/ras transformants initially grew more slowly than c-myc or SV40 transformants, but once established as continuous cell lines, they were indistinguishable from cell lines derived from c-myc/ras or SV40/ras transfectants as determined by morphology, soft-agar cloning, and tumorigenicity in nude mice.

Animals↗

The immunobiology of metastatic processes: analysis of NK sensitivity and the metastatic potential of H-2 gene transfected fibrosarcoma cells.

The transformation of a potentially neoplastic cell into an autonomous highly malignant and metastatic tumor cell involves a multifactorial cascade of events. This will eventually lead not only to the emergence of a tumor cell with an unlimited potential of replication, but more important will contribute to its ability to ignore and evade homeostatic immune and nonimmune regulatory mechanisms. Specifically, those mechanisms which may restrict and direct its growth, dissemination, patterns of differentiation and interaction with the cellular and humoral factors comprising its environment. In the present studies we have investigated the contribution of three major factors which may be the cause or result of alterations at the level of the cell membrane: MHC encoded antigen expression, susceptibility to the cytolytic activity of NK cells and enhanced expression of the c-K-ras proto-oncogene, as to their development of the metastatic capacity of a malignant cell. To address these questions we used metastatic (IE7) and nonmetastatic (IC9) variants of the murine 3-methylcholanthrene-induced T-10 fibrosarcoma. Using this system, the following major conceptually important observations were made: (A) The restoration by transfection of the expression of membrane associated H-2K encoded glycoproteins abrogates the metastatic capacity of the highly metastatic tumor cell clone, IE7, irrespective of the degree of susceptibility to NK or c-K-ras oncogene expression.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Acute acoustic trauma: dynamics of hearing loss following cessation of exposure.

The natural history of individuals with acute acoustic trauma who ceased to be exposed to impact noise was examined. Retrospective follow-up was carried out for 4 years on patients who were qualified as disabled following acoustic trauma with permanent threshold shift. Eight hundred forty-one individuals (1682 ears) were examined, of which 1514 ears with acoustic trauma were included in the study group; 150 individuals (300 ears) who continued to be exposed to impact noise even after discovery of acoustic trauma comprised the control group. In the latter, as long as exposure to gunfire continued, the severity of acoustic trauma increased. In the study group, during the first year after injury, changes were observed in hearing, whether improvement or deterioration; after this period, hearing loss appeared to be final. We suggest that, after 1 year following acute acoustic trauma, the associated hearing loss be considered as final, provided there is no further exposure to noise. This finding holds great importance from the medicolegal standpoint, an aspect that is unclear in the literature. It clarifies that beyond the period of 1 year after initial exposure, the pathologic process ceases (as long as there is no additional exposure to noise or gunfire). Further hearing deterioration beyond this period is not related to the initial acoustic trauma but rather to other factors.

Acute Disease↗

Characteristics of lysine transport by isolated rat renal cortical tubule fragments.

The uptake of L-lysine was examined in isolated renal cortical tubules. Lysine was actively taken up by the renal tubule cells isolated from 7-week-old rats. No metabolism of the transported lysine was found. There was no evidence for sodium-dependence of lysine uptake. Concentration dependence studies revealed that the lysine was taken up by one saturable transport system with a Km of 1.66 mmol/l and Vmax of 7 mmol/l intracellular fluid per 10 min. Lysine also entered by a non-saturable pathway. Arginine and ornithine inhibited the initial uptake of lysine. Cystine increased the efflux of lysine from preloaded renal cells via hetero-exchange, indicating that a common system exists for these two amino acids.

Animals↗

Association in the expression of Kirsten-ras oncogene and the major histocompatibility complex class I antigens in fibrosarcoma tumor cell variants exhibiting different metastatic capabilities.

The metastatic properties of the methylcholanthrene-induced T-10 sarcoma tumor variants which originated in C3H x C57Bl/6 F1 mice are correlated with the relative expression of class I major histocompatibility complex antigens. Both the nonmetastatic and the highly metastatic clones were found to lack the H-2K region-controlled H-2Kb and H-2Kk antigens. However, the nonmetastatic clones express only the H-2Db molecule whereas the metastatic clones express both the H-2Db and the H-2Dk molecules. Transfection of the highly metastatic lines with cloned H-2K genes (Kb, Kk) reduced their tumorigenicity and abolished the formation of metastasis in syngeneic mice, while the transfection of the nonmetastatic lines with cloned H-2Dk genes resulted in shifting the cells to the metastatic phenotype. The present study is aimed to investigate the expression of protooncogenes in the T-10 fibrosarcoma lines that exhibit distinct metastatic properties in correlation with the expressed H-2 antigens. The major oncogene which showed differential expression in the T-10 clones is Ki-ras. The amounts of specific Ki-ras messenger RNA and the Ki-ras Mr 21,000 protein are expressed in elevated levels in the H-2Dk-negative nonmetastatic clones in comparison with a low level of expression in the H-2Dk-positive highly metastatic clones. Expression of H-2K antigens following transfection with cloned H-2K genes had no effect on the expressed Ki-ras oncogene in the T-10 clones. However, transfection of the nonmetastatic cells with the cloned H-2Dk gene resulted in shifting of the cells to a highly metastatic phenotype and in reduction of the expressed c-Ki-ras oncogene.

Animals↗

Age related changes in fluidity of rat renal brushborder membrane vesicles.

Fluorescence anisotrophy of 1,6 diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene was determined in renal brushborder membranes prepared from rats 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of age, and adults, from 5 degrees C to 45 degrees C. There is a parallel relationship between temperature and mean fluorescence anisotrophy in the different age groups with a progressive decrease in fluidity with age. There is no phase transition apparent in membranes from any age group as evidenced by the lack of a fluorescence polarization "break point". There is also a linear relationship between limiting hindered anisotrophy and previously determined values for the height of the Na+-proline overshoot. This suggests that the physical characteristics of the renal brushborder membrane responsible for differences in fluidity are related to age-dependent transport alterations.

Aging↗