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Biomedical subjects

S Zotter

Publications and source records attributed to S Zotter.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Sensitization of human lymphocytes to carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA): neutralization experiments with anti-CEA sera.

By means of the macrophage electrophoretic mobility technique we could show lymphocytes of patients suffering from cancers of the digestive system to be sensitized to carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). These findings conflict with the common view that CEA is not immunogenic in humans. The aim of the present study was to look as to whether conventional anti-CEA sera can neutralize the activity of a CEA preparation which is responsible for the human lymphocyte response. When 60 ng CEA were preincubated with highly diluted anti-CEA serum and the resulting immune complexes were thereafter co-precipitated by protein A-sepharose, positive lymphocyte responses could no longer be obtained. This effect was observed with 3 anti-CEA sera in 3 cancer patients (colon cancer, stomach cancer, teratocarcinoma), who's lymphocytes responded to CEA by lymphokine release. Normal serum had no neutralizing effect. The anti-CEA sera did not influence the activity of another tumour-relevant extract (teratocarcinoma-derived), to which cancer patients' lymphocytes reacted regardless of the tumour site. The lymphocytes from an oesophagus carcinoma patient, though reacting to the teratocarcinoma preparation, did not respond to CEA, thus, logically, all other tests with normal serum and anti-CEA sera were negative, too. The results show that the digest system cancer-associated lymphocyte reactivity to CEA can be abrogated by conventional anti-CEA sera, which finding indicates that there exist closely CEA-associated "tumour-specific" antigenicities.

Animals↗

Radioimmunological characterization of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) preparations.

A multi-step radioimmunological test system was applied to the characterization of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) preparations obtained by column chromatography including ion exchange procedure. CEA contents were estimated by means of a sequential inhibition radioimmunoassay using Protein A-bearing Staphylococci for coprecipitation. Data were expressed as "units CEA" and compared with results obtained from commercial CEA-RIA kits. In addition, attempts were made to evaluate the presence of normal cross-reacting antigens in CEA preparations by the application of an antiserum to perchloric acid extract from normal lung tissue. Data from these tests were expressed as "units NLA" (NLA stands for "normal cross-reacting lung antigen"). The factor "units CEA/units NLA" proved useful as an indication of the tumour specificity of those antigenic components measured in the inhibition assay. Moreover, radioimmunoprecipitation tests with subsequent SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis were performed in order to get information on the molecular weight of the molecule(s) involved in the radioimmunological CEA determination procedure. The test system displayed 1) highly specific CEA reagibility in the standard inhibition assay, 2) test sensitivity of about 200 pg CEA (when related to the Hoffman/La Roche test) and 1 ng CEA (when related to CEA-IRE-SORIN), 3) low reagibility to normal cross-reacting antigens, also when compared to the commercial tests, 4) a molecular weight of about 200,000 daltons for the component(s) measured, and 5) evidence of inhomogeneity of the CEA batches investigated and those international references available. The latter might in part be attributed to so-called species-specific CEA-related determinants. The test system proved also useful for CEA estimations in crude tissue extracts.

Animals↗

Is there any diagnostic relevance of human antibodies which react with mouse mammary tumor virus (MuMTV)?

Applying an indirect immunofluorescence assay with prolonged serum incubation on frozen-cut mouse mammary tumor slices, antibodies are detectable in human sera which react with viral inclusion bodies consisting of intracytoplasmic A particles (iAp). These iAp are known to represent intracellular entities of the mouse mammary tumor virus (MuMTV), mainly related to MuMTV core constituents. In 1,449 women studied, the antibody incidence is partially correlated with proliferating changes of the mammary gland. However, epidemiological data obtained thus far have clearly shown that the detection of antibody is not useful in breast cancer diagnosis (antibody incidence in breast cancer patients 22.8%, in lactating women 20.6%, in controls 5.9%). Studying antibody reagibility to particular iAp polypeptides by means of a radioimmunoprecipitation (RIP) technique, there has been preliminary evidence that human serum factors react with more than one mouse virus protein. The most prominent reactivity was seen to be directed to the 14,000 dalton protein (Ap14). The detection of serum antibody activity is considered as being of important indicative value in that it reflects the existence of MuMTV-related antigens in man.

Animals↗

Use of an electroimmunodiffusion method on cellulose acetate films for the detection of antigenicity in human breast cancers that is related to the major core antigen of mouse mammary tumor virus (MuMTV).

A highly sensitive electroimmunodiffusion method on cellulose acetate films, developed by Abelev on the basis of isotachoelectrophoresis, was applied to search of MuMTV-related antigenicity in tumor tissue and sera of breast cancer patients. In 2 out of 5 breast cancer extracts, protein fractions corresponding to a molecular weight of about 50,000 daltons were seen to exhibit antigenicity related to the major core antigen of MuMTV (p27). This antigenicity could not be detected in the sera of the patients.

Animals↗

Detection of type D retrovirus in a human amnion cell line (FL).

This paper describes the detection of viral particles in a human amnion cell line (FL). These particles belong to the group of type D retroviruses, because of their characteristic morphology, their major antigenic determinants, and the presence of particle-associated Mg++-preferring RNA-dependent DNA polymerase. In addition to budding and mature type D virus particles, intracytoplasmic type A structures have also been found. Immunological analysis provided evidence of cross-reactivity between the particles described and the Mason-Pfizer monkey virus as well as type D retroviruses from other human cell lines (PMF, HEp-2). Particles isolated from FL cell medium were shown to infect type D virus-susceptible human TU 197 cells.

Amnion↗

[On clinical and differential diagnosis of primary ureteral tumors].

Primary tumours of the ureter are to be regarded as rare tumours. Etiopathogenesis, pathology and clinic are discussed, taking into consideration own experiences. The authors cannot subscribe to the widespread view of operating primary solitary tumours of the ureter on principle only radically in form of the nephroureterectomy. A differentiated, individual approach with a primarily conservative-reconstructive orientation is recommended.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

[A case of malacoplakia of the prostate (author's transl)].

A case of malacoplakia of the prostate gland in a 75-year-old man is reported. This special type of granulomatous prostatitis was diagnosed by histological examination of biopsyn material. There were typical Michaelis-Gutmann corpusculates within the inflammation area. The structure of these inclusion bodies was investigated by electron microscopy. Characteristic concentric ring-shaped structures were seen as well as corpusculates which are composed of irregular cristalloid material. Some Michaelis-Gutmann bodies were found to contain short cell membrane-like structures. By histochemical investigation, both the cells possessing inclusion bodies as well as the Michaelis-Gutmann corpusculates themselves gave positive acid phosphatase reactions. The case is described because of the rarity of the malacoplakia of the prostate gland and with respect to the differential diagnosis of malignant prostate gland disease.

Aged↗

Demonstration of mouse mammary tumour virus (MuMTV) antigenicity in human milk by means of immunodiffusion technique.

Using the micro-Ouchterlony immunodiffusion technique, we were able to demonstrate mouse mammary tumour virus (MuMTV) antigenicity in the 1.26-1.28 g/ml density fraction prepared from pooled human milk samples after treatment with detergents and ether. The cross-reacting antigen(s) was precipitated by rabbit antisera to MuMTV-B particles prepared from murine milk and intracytoplasmic A particles (iAp) isolated from mouse mammary tumour tissue. By confluence of precipitin lines, the human milk "core" antigen(s) was shown to be identical with the main antigen(s) of iAp which are known to share antigenicity with the MuMTV-B particle cores. Electron microscopy of the human "core" fraction revealed abundant particulate structures of 40-70 nm in diameter. However, the structural entities bearing the cross-reactive antigen(s) remain to be identified.

Antigens, Viral↗

Natural antibody in mammary tumor virus-infected mice that reacts with intracytoplasmic A particles of mouse mammary tumors.

By an indirect immunofluorescence technique with prolonged serum incubation on murine mammary tumor (MT) slices, 179 of 424 mice examined were found to possess natural serum antibody (antibodies) that reacted with intracytoplasmic A particles (iAp) of MT cells. The immunologic specificity of this antibody was supported by absorption and blocking experiments. Furthermore, a strong similarity was seen between the mouse antibody reaction on various MT and the fluorescence pattern of rabbit anti-iAp antiserum on these tumors. In female mice, incidence and geometric mean titers of the antibody in part were correlated to the spontaneous MT frequency of the mouse strains examined. Some mice of the strains XVII/Bin and CBA/BinfXVII/Bin, hitherto regarded as "free" of the mouse mammary tumor virus (MuMTV), also contained anti-iAp antibody in their sera. In contrast to MuMTV)-producing CBA/Bin micethese animals did not possess detectable spontaneous antibody reacting with MuMTV-B particles. Therefore, hypothetically, the antibody response in these mice might be induced by incomplete MuMTV expression. In the strain CBA/Bin, females 4 months old and older possessed the antibody in significantly higher geometric mean titers when compared to 4-week-old female mice. The history of lactation seemed to have no influence on the titer of antibody. In the comparatively high MT strains CBA/Bin and C3H/Bin, adult (4-month-old) females had the antibody in significantly higher levels when compared to age-matched males.

Age Factors↗

Specificity of human antibodies to intracytoplasmic type-A particles of the murine mammary tumor virus.

Large-scale studies showed that antibodies previously detectable in women with proliferating mastopathy or breast cancer were directed to intracytoplasmic type-A particles (iAp) of mouse mammary tumor virus. Immunofluorescence revealed the human antibodies to be bound only by those tumors producing a certain amount of iAp clusters visible by light microscopy. The intensity of the reaction corresponded to the iAp content of every tumor tested as revealed by electron microscopy and rabbit antisera to iAp. The fluorescence patterns obtained with positive human sera were similar to those obtained with rabbit antisera specific for iAp and resembled the tissue distribution patterns of iAp inclusions stained by acid fuchsin. The reaction with human sera was entirely blocked by rabbit antisera to iAp and, less so, by rabbit or mouse antisera to B particles. The human antibody activity was exhaustively absorbed by purified iAp or purified and disrupted B particles, which indicated that the human antibodies were directed to antigenic components shared by iAp and B particles. Preliminary immunoperoxidase studies supported the assumption that the human antibodies were bound to the iAp membrane; technical details might have accounted for the finding that the human antibodies reacted with the iAp but not with B particles in situ.

Antibodies, Neoplasm↗

Presence of the p27 antigenicity and absence of the gp52 antigenicity and leukemia virus antigens in intracytoplasmic A particles (iAp) of mouse mammary tumour origin.

Using the Ouchterlony immunodiffusion method and indirect immunofluorescence tests on tissue slices the antigenic structure of iAp of mouse mammary tumour origin has further been investigated. Antisera against iAp, MTV-B particles, B particle polypeptide p27 and glycoprotein gp52, and leukemia C-type particles were used in these studies. The most prominent antigen of iAp in mammary tumours was found to be identical to the p27 antigen of B particles. This finding was not unexpected in view of recently published data by other authors showing the presence of p27 in iAp of leukemia cells and Leydig cell tumours. The p27 polypeptide is considered to be a group-specific antigen of mouse mammary tumour viruses associated with iAp of different tissue sources and inner structural components of mature B particles. On the other hand, the gp52 antigen and leukemia virus antigens were shown to be absent from iAp of mammary carcinomas. Therefore, the assumption is confirmed that the gp52 glycoprotein represents a group-specific antigen of B type viruses, presumably located at the virion surface. The failure to demonstrate leukemia virus antigens in iAp supports the suggestion that this kind of particles is not related to C type viruses.

Animals↗