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Biomedical subjects

V Macaulay

Publications and source records attributed to V Macaulay.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Control of aromatase in breast cancer cells and its importance for tumor growth.

Three approaches have been taken to elucidate further the biological importance of intratumoural aromatase activity. (i) MCF7 and T47D hormone-dependent breast cancer cell lines both showed detectable aromatase activity in vitro. The up-regulation of this by TGF alpha indicates the possible existence of an autocrine growth stimulatory loop involving aromatase. (ii) Both tamoxifen and cytotoxic chemotherapy caused the suppression of aromatase activity in breast carcinomas in vivo. Aromatase activity prior to treatment did not predict for clinical response to tamoxifen. (iii) Transfection of aromatase into MCF7 cells led to their growth being stimulated by low doses of androgens and this was inhibited by the aromatase inhibitor CGS 16949A.

Aromatase↗
PubMed1990

Somatostatin receptors are present in small-cell but not in non-small-cell primary lung carcinomas: relationship to EGF-receptors.

Sixteen primary human lung tumours were analysed for their content of somatostatin receptors using receptor autoradiography with somatostatin-28 and somatostatin octapeptide analogues as radio-ligands. Two out of 4 small-cell lung carcinomas were somatostatin receptor-positive, with a high density of homogeneously distributed receptors on tumour tissue only. Somatostatin receptors were characterized in one of the tumours in homogenate binding assay as saturable, high-affinity binding sites (KD = 0.53 nM) with a number of sites (Bmax) equivalent to 189 fmoles/mg protein. These sites were specific for somatostatin, since only biologically active somatostatin analogues but not unrelated peptides showed high-affinity binding. Both receptor-positive patients had limited disease; furthermore, the small-cell lung carcinoma patient with the longest survival was receptor-positive, while the one with the shortest survival was receptor-negative. None of the 12 non-small-cell lung carcinomas (5 squamous carcinomas, 7 adenocarcinomas) contained somatostatin receptors. For comparison, epidermal growth factor receptors were found in all non-small-cell lung carcinomas. Neuroendocrine features (synaptophysin, chromogranin, neuron-specific enolase, protein gene product 9.5) were present in all small-cell lung carcinomas but absent in non-small-cell lung carcinomas. Given the receptor-mediated action of somatostatin in other neuroendocrine tumours, these data may have a bearing on the clinical application of somatostatin analogues in patients with small-cell lung carcinomas.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Phase II study of the antifolate N10-propargyl-5,8-dideazafolic acid (CB 3717) in advanced breast cancer.

Fifty-two patients with progressive advanced breast cancer were treated with the novel antifolate CB 3717 (N10-propargyl-5,8-dideazofolic acid) which inhibits thymidylate synthetase. Forty-six patients were pretreated with hormones, 43 with cytotoxic chemotherapy and 39 patients with both treatments. Eight of 48 patients (16.6%) evaluable for response had partial responses (confidence limits 7.4-30.2%, 95% confidence level) following CB 3717 administration. Liver function abnormalities, reversible in most cases, were the most commonest toxicities and were frequently accompanied by malaise. Severe renal failure occurred in eight patients, five of whom had had partial responses to CB 3717. This study shows the importance of thymidylate synthetase as a target for therapy but the clinical value of CB 3717 is limited by its hepatic and renal toxicities.

Acute Kidney Injury↗