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Transcription of the testis-specific mouse protamine 2 gene in a homologous in vitro transcription system.

Transcriptionally active nuclear extracts were prepared from mouse testes to study the transcription of the testis-specific mouse protamine 2 (Prm-2) gene in vitro. The testicular system is unique among mammalian in vitro transcription systems in regard to its temperature optimum. In extracts made from prepuberal testes, the temperature optimum for in vitro transcription of Prm-2 is 30 degrees C, similar to somatic in vitro systems. However, in adult testis extracts, the optimum temperature for Prm-2 transcription is 20 degrees C. The different temperature optima seen in vitro for prepuberal and adult testes extracts parallels in vivo physiological temperature sensitivities of the differentiating male germ cells. The testis system also differs from other in vitro transcription systems in its divalent metal cation and ionic strength requirements for optimal transcription. The mouse Prm-2 gene is maximally transcribed at a MgCl2 concentration of 3-5 mM and over a KCl concentration range of 40-100 mM. By using the testis in vitro transcription system to study the Prm-2 gene by deletion analysis, we have determined that positive promotion for the gene lies within the region -170 to -82 from the start of transcription. This region contains a putative Sp-1 binding site. Additional upstream sequences appear to repress Prm-2 transcription in a heterologous transcription system.

Animals↗

Retrovirus-mediated transfer of a suicide gene into lens epithelial cells in vitro and in an experimental model of posterior capsule opacification.

PURPOSE: The most common complication of cataract surgery is the development of posterior capsule opacification (PCO). Hyperplasia of the lens epithelium is one of the main cellular events following phacoemulsification and was found to be an important feature contributing to opacification of the posterior capsule. We investigated the feasibility of killing the residual lens epithelial cells by retroviral-mediated transfer of the herpes simplex virus-thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) gene, a well-studied suicide gene, into rabbit lens epithelial cells followed by ganciclovir (GCV) treatment. METHODS: The capacity of retroviral vectors to transfer genes into rabbit lens epithelial cells was determined either in vitro (culture of rabbit lens epithelial cells) or in vivo (experimental model of PCO in rabbits) using cDNA encoding the beta-galactosidase (LacZ) reporter gene. To evaluate the efficiency of suicide gene therapy (infection with retroviral vectors encoding the HSV-tk gene followed by GCV treatment) we determined the sensitivity of HSV-tk infected lens epithelial cells to different concentrations of GCV in vitro. Then, in an experimental model of PCO, rabbits were treated with HSV-tk retroviral vectors at the end of the surgery and they received repeated intracameral and intravitreal injections of GCV at the concentration determined by the in vitro experiments. RESULTS: Infection efficiency using LacZ retroviral vectors was about 29% in vitro and 10% in vivo. After infection of the HSV-tk cDNA in vitro, the cell killing effect of GCV was evaluated. A significant enhancement (four- to five-fold) of the cell sensitivity to GCV was shown in FLY-DFGtk as compared with mock infected (P < 0.01) cells even without selection of the HSV-tk positive cells. The GCV concentration leading to 50% reduction in cell number (IC50) was 50 microg/ml. In vivo infection with a HSV-tk vector led to the tk gene transfer into lens epithelial cells. Despite this local HSV-tk gene expression, we could not prevent capsule opacification. CONCLUSIONS: Lens epithelial cells were successfully infected both in vitro and in vivo by beta-galactosidase and HSV-tk genes via retroviral vectors. In vitro infected lens epithelial cells displayed a strong sensitivity to GCV treatment. In vivo, we could not prevent capsule opacification in the rabbit model, very likely due to the limited level of the HSV-tk gene expression. However, our results suggest that virus-mediated suicide gene therapy might be a feasible treatment strategy to prevent capsule opacification with a more powerful vector.

Animals↗

Analysis of chromosome aberrations by FISH and Giemsa assays in lymphocytes of cancer patients undergoing whole-body irradiation: comparison of in vivo and in vitro irradiation.

PURPOSE: To study the cytogenetic effects of fractionated radiotherapy in peripheral blood lymphocytes of five cancer patients. In vitro experiments were performed in parallel using the same dose range and a comparison was made of the induced frequencies of stable and unstable chromosome aberrations. The object was to clarify the use of an in vitro calibration curve for immediate and retrospective dosimetry in cases of radiation accidents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients were exposed to 60Co gamma-rays at a single dose of 11.5 cGy each day up to a total dose of 57.5 cGy, given in 5 days. For measurement of chromosome aberrations, blood was collected from patients before irradiation and after each exposure. Blood taken before treatment was used as a control and for in vitro irradiation experiments in the dose range 8-50 cGy. Chromosome aberration frequency (stable as well as unstable) was determined using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay with specific DNA libraries for chromosomes 1, 4 and 8 and a pancentromertic probe for the whole genome. Giemsa-stained preparations were used to score unstable aberrations following in vivo and in vitro exposure. RESULTS: A linear dose-response curve was determined for both dicentrics and translocations. The in vivo frequency of translocations was higher than for dicentrics. Dose-response curves generated for translocations following in vivo and in vitro irradiation yielded similar frequencies. In contrast, for dicentrics, in vitro irradiation yielded a higher frequency when compared with data generated following in vivo exposure. CONCLUSIONS: For dose reconstruction purposes, translocations frequency seems to be a more adequate end-point than the scoring of dicentrics. The established in vitro calibration curve for dicentrics may underestimate absorbed radiation dose in cases of protracted exposure.

Adult↗

Transition in cardiac contractile sensitivity to calcium during the in vitro differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells.

Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells differentiate in vitro into a variety of cell types including spontaneously contracting cardiac myocytes. We have utilized the ES cell differentiation culture system to study the development of the cardiac contractile apparatus in vitro. Difficulties associated with the cellular and developmental heterogeneity of this system have been overcome by establishing attached cultures of differentiating ES cells, and by the micro-dissection of the contracting cardiac myocytes from culture. The time of onset and duration of continuous contractile activity of the individual contracting myocytes was determined by daily visual inspection of the cultures. A functional assay was used to directly measure force production in ES cell-derived cardiac myocyte preparations. The forces produced during spontaneous contractions in the membrane intact preparation, and during activation by Ca2+ subsequent to chemical permeabilization of the surface membranes were determined in the same preparation. Results showed a transition in contractile sensitivity to Ca2+ in ES cell-derived cardiac myocytes during development in vitro. Cardiac preparations isolated from culture following the initiation of spontaneous contractile activity showed marked sensitivity of the contractile apparatus to activation by Ca2+. However, the Ca2+ sensitivity of tension development was significantly decreased in preparations isolated from culture following prolonged continuous contractile activity in vitro. The alteration in Ca2+ sensitivity obtained in vitro paralleled that observed during murine cardiac myocyte development in vivo. This provides functional evidence that ES cell-derived cardiac myocytes recapitulate cardiogenesis in vitro. Alterations in Ca2+ sensitivity could be important in optimizing the cardiac contractile response to variations in the myoplasmic Ca2+ transient during embryogenesis. The potential to stably transfect ES cells with cardiac regulatory genes, together with the availability of a functional assay using control and genetically modified ES cell-derived cardiac myocytes, will permit determination of the functional significance of altered cardiac gene expression during cardiogenesis in vitro.

Animals↗

Correlation between effects of 24 different cytochalasins on cellular structures and cellular events and those on actin in vitro.

To compare the effects of cytochalasins on the cellular level with those on the molecular level, 24 cytochalasins, 20 natural compounds and 4 derivatives, were used. The following effects were tested for each of 24 cytochalasins; (a) four high dose (2-20 muM) effects on the cellular level: rounding up of fibroblastic cells, contraction of actin cables, formation of hairy filaments containing actin, and inhibition of lymphocyte capping; (b) a low dose (0.2-2 muM) effect: inhibition of membrane ruffling; and (c) two in vitro effects: an inhibition of actin filament elongation (the high affinity effect [low dose effect] in vitro) and an effect on viscosity of actin filaments(the low affinity effect [high dose effect] in vitro). These results indicated that there are almost the same hierarchic orders of relative effectiveness of different cytochalasins between low and high dose effects and between cellular and molecular effects. From the data obtained with the 24 cytochalasins, we have calculated correlation coefficients of 0.87 and 0.79 between an effect in vivo, inhibition of capping, and an effect in vitro, inhibition of actin filament elongation, as well as between inhibition of capping and another effect in vitro, effect on viscosity of actin filaments, respectively. Furthermore, a correlation coefficient between the high affinity effect and the low affinity effect determined in vitro was calculated to be 0.90 from the data obtained in this study. The strong positive correlation among low and high dose effects in vivo and those in vitro suggests that most of the effects caused by a cytochalasin, irrespective of doses or affected phenomena, might be attributed to the interaction between the drug and the common target protein, actin. In the course of the immunofluorescence microscope study on cytochalasin-treated cells using actin antibody, we have found that aspochalasin D, a 10-isopropylcytochalasin, strongly induced the formation of rodlets containing actin in the cytoplasm of the treated fibroblasts. In contrast, the other cytochalasins, including cytochalasin B, cytochalasin C, cytochalasin D, and cytochalasin H, were found to induce the formation of nuclear rodlets. Both cytoplasmic and nuclear rodlets found in the cytochalasin-treated cells were similar in ultrastructures to those induced by 5 to 10 percent (vol/vol) dimethyl sulfoxide in the same type of cells.

Actins↗

Isolation from a murine fibrosarcoma of cell lines with enhanced plating efficiency in vitro.

The technique for the isolation of mutants was applied to establish highly clonogenic cells from a fibrosarcoma (FSA) that had an extremely poor growth capacity in vitro (10(-6)--10(-7) of surviving fraction of cells). After consecutive clonings, the surviving fraction of cells increased to 1--5 X 10(-1), whereas that of the ordinarily maintained culture remained at a low level. Selected clones were analyzed in vitro and/or in vivo. The results indicated that the FSA was composed of heterogeneous cells or cells having a potential variability in cloning ability in vitro, metastatic ability in vivo [lung colony-forming efficiency (LCFE)], and DNA content. The relatively high DNA content of one of the clones, FSA 1233, continued after growth in vivo or in vitro, indicating its hereditary nature. FSA 1233 was also demonstrated to have a lower LCFE when the cell suspension was made from a tumor rather than from a culture in vitro. The difference of surviving fractions between the cells in the two conditions was not enough to explain the difference in LCFE's between them. These cells could grow under either in vitro or in vivo conditions and could be made readily into single-cell suspensions. The cells are, therefore, available as a system for analysis of the response of cells in vitro after in vivo treatment with various agents.

Animals↗

Enhanced cancer growth in mice administered daily human-equivalent doses of some H1-antihistamines: predictive in vitro correlates.

BACKGROUND: Present studies of drug-induced tumor growth promotion have evolved from earlier investigations into the mechanism of action of N,N-diethyl-2-[4-(phenylmethyl)phenoxy[ethanamine.HCl, a tamoxifen derivative which potently inhibits lymphocyte mitogenesis in vitro and stimulates tumor growth in vivo. It is thought that potency to bind to intracellular histamine receptors (HIC), some of which are on cytochromes P450, may correlate with tumor growth-promoting activity. PURPOSE: We assessed the effectiveness of five in vitro assays in predicting in vivo tumor growth stimulation by the H1-antihistamines loratadine, astemizole, cetirizine, hydroxyzine, and doxylamine. METHODS: Potency of each agent was ranked 1-5 in each of the following in vitro assays: 1) inhibition of [3H]histamine binding to microsomal HIC, 2) inhibition of histamine binding to microsomal P450, 3) inhibition of the P450-catalyzed demethylation of aminopyrine, 4) inhibition of lymphocyte mitogenesis, and 5) stimulation of tumor colony formation. An overall rank score was assigned to each drug and correlated with tumor growth stimulation in vivo. Two laboratories conducted in vivo studies in a blinded fashion. Female C57BL and C3H mice were given a subcutaneous injection on day 1 of syngeneic B16F10 melanoma cells (5 x 10(5)) or C-3 fibrosarcoma cells (1 x 10(5)), respectively. Mice were randomly assigned to treatment groups, then received a single, daily intraperitoneal injection of an estimated human-equivalent dose (or range of doses) of antihistamine or vehicle control for 18-21 days before being killed. Tumors were surgically removed and wet weights compared statistically among groups. RESULTS: The cumulative potency of each drug in affecting tumor growth or growth mechanisms in the five in vitro assays ranked as follows: Loratidine and astemizole ranked highest and were equally potent, followed in decreasing order by hydroxyzine, doxylamine, and cetirizine. A significant correlation (r = .97; P < .02) was observed between the rank order of potency of the antihistamines in all five in vitro assays and the rank order to enhance tumor growth in vivo: Loratidine and astemizole significantly (P < .001) promoted the growth of both melanoma and fibrosarcoma, hydroxyzine significantly (P < .001) promoted the growth of melanoma, while doxylamine and cetirizine did not promote the growth of either tumor. CONCLUSION: Data demonstrate that the in vitro assays predicted the propensity of each H1-antihistamine to stimulate cancer growth in vivo. IMPLICATION: These in vitro tests may prove valuable to screen potential tumor growth promoters.

Animals↗

In vivo-in vitro correlation of myelotoxicity of 9-methoxypyrazoloacridine (NSC-366140, PD115934) to myeloid and erythroid hematopoietic progenitors from human, murine, and canine marrow.

BACKGROUND: 9-Methoxypyrazoloacridine (PZA) is an anticancer agent that shows selectivity of action for carcinomas over leukemias. It also has nearly equal potency against cycling and quiescent or hypoxic and normoxic target cells. Phase I trials of PZA in humans are nearing completion. PURPOSE: This study was conducted to determine (a) if PZA is directly inhibitory to hematopoietic cells and, if it is, to characterize the inhibition pharmacodynamically, (b) whether species-specific differences in direct toxicity could explain differences in myelosuppression in mice, dogs, and humans, and (c) whether in vitro data correlate with in vivo myelosuppression data. METHODS: In vitro clonogenic assays of hematopoietic progenitors of myeloid and erythroid lineages from human, canine, and murine femoral marrow were used to measure the direct toxicity of PZA. Results from these assays were compared on an area-under-the-curve (AUC) basis to clinical myelosuppression data. RESULTS: On the basis of maximum tolerated concentrations, canine hematopoietic progenitors are most susceptible to PZA, followed by human and then murine progenitors. We found no difference in susceptibility to PZA toxicity between the human progenitors of myeloid and erythroid lineages. Both concentration and duration of exposure contribute to the in vitro toxicity of PZA. In contrast to antimetabolites, the in vitro toxicity of PZA could be minimized at a given AUC by lowering drug concentration and prolonging the period of exposure. On an AUC basis, the in vitro data are consistent with limited in vivo myelosuppression data from preclinical models and correlate with neutropenia data from a phase I trial. CONCLUSIONS: PZA directly inhibits hematopoietic progenitors, an action that is responsible for the myelosuppression observed in humans. Human marrow appears able to compensate for the loss of up to 35% of its myeloid progenitors, in that peripheral neutrophil counts remain unchanged at that level of loss. Although in vivo studies show that prolonged infusion reduces myelosuppression at a given total dose in both rodent and canine models, pharmacokinetic differences make it unlikely that this approach will benefit human patients. IMPLICATIONS: The in vitro data quantitatively predict the AUCs at maximum tolerated dose in preclinical models and human patients. Thus, in vitro clonogenic assays of myelotoxic agents can provide data that make both preclinical toxicology testing and clinical trial planning and interpretation more efficient and accurate.

Acridines↗

Serial pronuclear transfer increases the developmental potential of in vitro-matured oocytes in mouse cloning.

In vitro-matured germinal vesicle oocytes are an interesting source of cytoplast recipients in both animal and human nuclear transfer (NT) experiments. We investigated two technical aspects that might improve the developmental potential of nuclear transfer mouse embryos constructed from in vitro-matured germinal vesicle oocytes. In a first step, the effect of two maturation media on the embryonic development of NT embryos originating from in vitro-matured oocytes was compared. Supplementation of the oocyte maturation medium with serum and gonadotrophins improved the developmental rate of NT embryos constructed from in vitro-matured oocytes, but it was still inferior to that obtained with in vivo-matured metaphase II (MII) oocytes. Second, we investigated the effect of serial pronuclear transfer from NT zygotes originating from both in vitro- and in vivo-matured oocytes to in vivo-fertilized zygotic cytoplasts. Blastocyst quality was evaluated by counting nuclei from trophectoderm and inner cell mass cells using a differential staining. Sequential pronuclear transfer significantly improved the blastocyst formation rate of NT embryos originating from in vitro-matured oocytes up to the rate obtained with in vivo-matured MII oocytes. We conclude that the developmental potential of NT embryos constructed from in vitro-matured oocytes can be optimized by serial pronuclear transfer to in vivo-produced zygotic cytoplasts.

Animals↗

Expression of the c-kit gene is critical for migration of neonatal rat gonocytes in vitro.

Rat gonocytes migrate to the basement membrane during the first postnatal week, a change in position crucial for their survival. These cells express the c-kit gene from the day of birth through Day 5 in vivo and develop the ability to migrate in Sertoli cell-gonocyte cocultures. In this study, we asked whether c-kit expression and synthesis of Kit protein are required for pseudopod production by gonocytes in vitro. To determine whether gonocyte migration in vitro is invariably accompanied by c-kit expression, we quantified percentages of gonocytes expressing c-kit with increasing time in vitro and correlated these data with pseudopod development by individual cells. We also determined the effect of exposure to Kit antibodies on gonocyte migration in vitro, and, conversely, asked whether addition of exogenous stem cell factor (SCF), the Kit ligand, stimulates pseudopod development. We found that 1) increasing numbers of gonocytes express c-kit with increasing time in vitro; 2) once these cells begin migrating in vitro, the appearance of a pseudopod on a gonocyte is absolutely correlated with kit expression by that cell; 3) incubating cocultures with Kit antibodies significantly reduces the number of cells with pseudopods, without any detectable decrease in numbers of gonocytes; and 4) addition of exogenous SCF to cocultures prepared on Day 5 results in a transient but significant increase in the percentage of gonocytes with pseudopods even though we found that Sertoli cells in the cultures produce endogenous SCF. Thus, our findings provide evidence to support a role for c-kit expression by neonatal gonocytes and, presumably, SCF expression by neonatal Sertoli cells in stimulating migration of these germ cells in vitro.

Animals↗

Effect of interleukin-1 alpha on the in vitro activation of tumor-draining lymph node cells for adoptive immunotherapy.

Adoptive immunotherapy using in vitro activated T-cells can mediate the destruction of metastatic tumor deposits in animal models. These antitumor effector cells can be generated from mice with subcutaneous tumor by the sequential in vitro activation of tumor-draining lymph node (TDLN) cells with monoclonal antibody to the T-cell receptor complex (anti-CD3) and expansion in low concentrations of interleukin-2 (IL-2). In this animal model, the concomitant presence of visceral tumor can suppress the sensitization of tumor-reactive TDLN cells. We investigated whether IL-1 alpha added during in vitro activation and/or expansion of TDLNs could augment their antitumor activity in adoptive therapy. Mice were inoculated subcutaneously with MCA 205 tumor. TDLN cells were harvested and activated in vitro with 1 microgram/ml anti-CD3 for 2 days (anti-CD3 phase), followed by expansion in 10 U/ml IL-2 for 3 days (IL-2 phase). Experimental cultures had IL-1 (10-10,000 U/ml) added in either or both phases. After the 5-day culture period, cells were counted to determine in vitro cellular proliferation and then adoptively transferred to mice bearing 3-day established lung metastases to assess in vivo antitumor efficacy. IL-1 added during the anti-CD3 or IL-2 phase did not alter in vitro cellular proliferation. The presence of IL-1 during the anti-CD3 phase led to the generation of cells that were significantly more therapeutically efficacious than cells generated in the absence of IL-1. The effect of IL-1 during anti-CD3 activation appeared to be dose dependent in the concentration range 10-1,000 U/ml. The addition of IL-1 during the IL-2 phase only did not enhance the antitumor reactivity of the activated cells. The beneficial effect of IL-1 during the anti-CD3 activation phase was specific for the tumor against which the TDLN had been initially sensitized; also, there was no evidence that non-tumor bearer lymphocytes developed significant antitumor reactivity when "activated" with IL-1 and anti-CD3. Furthermore, addition of IL-1 during the anti-CD3 activation phase abrogated suppression induced by the concomitant presence of lung metastases during subcutaneous tumor growth. IL-1 appears to up-regulate the in vitro activation of tumor-reactive lymphocytes derived from TDLN, in both the presence and the absence of visceral metastases.

Animals↗

Surface heparinization of central venous catheters reduces microbial colonization in vitro and in vivo: results from a prospective, randomized trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate in vitro and in vivo the efficacy of covalent end point-attached heparin to single-lumen polyurethane central venous catheters in reducing microbial adherence and colonization. DESIGN: In vitro study: A controlled bench study. In vivo study: A prospective, randomized, double-blind, clinical trial. SETTING: Intensive care unit in a 1200-bed teaching hospital. INTERVENTIONS: In vitro study: Adhesion of 17 radiolabeled clinical isolates of Staphylococci to catheters was examined in vitro. In vivo study: The outcome of heparinized and control catheters was compared in vivo in patients receiving long-term parenteral nutrition. Fifty-five adult patients were prospectively, blindly randomized to heparinized or control central venous catheters. The catheters, removed on clinical grounds, were analyzed with semiquantitative and quantitative cultures. Blood cultures were done at catheter removal. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In vitro study: Coagulase-negative Staphylococci adhered less in vitro to heparinized catheters than to control catheters (p < .05). In vivo study: Among 32 central venous catheters, or patients who completed the study, catheter-associated bacteremia or fungemia was observed in five patients in the control group (n = 19) and in no patient with a heparinized catheter (n = 13) (p = .047). Four of 13 catheters in the heparin group were colonized compared with 14 of 19 in the control group (p = .03). Coagulase-negative Staphylococci were the most frequent microorganisms in both groups. The numbers of organisms found on colonized catheters were larger in the control group than in the heparin group. CONCLUSIONS: Covalent end point surface heparinization appears to have a great impact on both in vitro and in vivo bacterial colonization of central venous catheters. Such heparinization can be a practical and economical approach to the prevention of catheter-associated bacteremia or fungemia.

Adult↗

A systematic review of in vitro retrograde obturation materials.

The purpose of this review was two-fold: (a) to determine which retrograde obturation material(s) best prevents dye/ink penetration in vitro; and (b) to determine whether in vitro results agree with in vivo results. A MEDLINE search was conducted to identify in vitro studies published between January 1966 and October, week 4, 2003, conducted on human teeth, and published in English, German, or French language, testing the resistance to retrograde penetration of retrograde filling materials. The MEDLINE search identified 278 published articles. Of those, 115 studies examined the resistance to penetration of various retrograde filling materials, in vitro. Thirty-four studies met all the inclusion and validity criteria. The results indicate that, beyond 10 days in vitro, the most effective retrofilling materials, when measured by dye/ink penetration are: composites>glass ionomer cement>amalgam>orthograde gutta-percha>EBA. The results of these in vitro studies are not congruent with in vivo study results, suggesting a need to re-evaluate the clinical validity and importance of in vitro studies.

Aluminum Compounds↗

Candidemia in a tertiary care cancer center: in vitro susceptibility and its association with outcome of initial antifungal therapy.

Since the 1990s, changing trends have been documented in species distribution and susceptibility to bloodstream infections caused by Candida species in cancer patients. However, few data are available regarding the association between in vitro antifungal susceptibility and outcome of candidemia in this patient population. We therefore evaluated the association of in vitro antifungal susceptibility and other risk factors with failure of initial antifungal therapy in cancer patients with candidemia. Candidemia cases in cancer patients from 1998 to 2001 (n = 144) were analyzed retrospectively along with their in vitro susceptibility to amphotericin B, fluconazole, and itraconazole (National Committee for Clinical and Laboratory Standards M27-A method). Patients were evaluable for outcome analysis if they received continuous unchanged therapy with either fluconazole or amphotericin B for >/=5 days. We excluded cases of mixed candidemia. In vitro susceptibility testing data of the first Candida bloodstream isolate were analyzed. Appropriate therapy was defined as that using an active in vitro antifungal for >/=5 days. For fluconazole susceptible-dose dependent Candida species, we defined appropriate therapy as a fluconazole dose of >/=600 mg/day. The Candida species distribution was 30% Candida albicans, 24% Candida glabrata, 23% Candida parapsilosis, 10% Candida krusei, 9% Candida tropicalis, and 3% other. Overall, amphotericin B was the most active agent in vitro, with only 3% of the isolates exhibiting resistance to it (>1 mg/L). Dose-dependent susceptibility to fluconazole and itraconazole was seen in 13% and 21% of the isolates, respectively, while resistance to fluconazole and itraconazole was seen in 13% and 26%, respectively.Eighty patients were evaluable for outcome analysis. In multivariate analysis, the following factors emerged as independent predictors of failure of initial antifungal therapy: leukemia (p = 0.01), bone marrow transplantation (p = 0.006), and intensive care unit stay at onset of infection (p = 0.02). Inappropriate antifungal therapy, as defined by daily dose and in vitro susceptibility, was not shown consistently to be a significant factor (it was significant in multivariate analysis, p = 0.04, but not in univariate analysis), indicating the complexity of the variables that influence the response to antifungal treatment in cancer patients with candidemia.

Adolescent↗

In vitro transformation by bovine papilloma virus.

This paper reports the development of a quantal transformation assay for bovine papillome virus. Support for its specificity to fibropapilloma derived bovine papilloma virus comes from (I) the absence of transformation associated changes following inoculations of normal bovine skin, bovine teat papilloma, bovine teat focal epithelial hyperplasia lesion and canine papilloma derived suspensions; (2) in vitro transformation occurs when CsCl purified fibropapilloma-derived BPV is used; (3) in vitro transformation experiments reported here parallel in vivo transmission of fibropapillomas described elsewhere using the same extracts; (4) the time-temperature inactivation of BPV using in vitro transformation parallels in vivo results and is similar to that reported for other papovaviruses; (5) BPV in vitro transformed cells are tumorigenic in nude mice and increase in vivo resistance in calves to subsequent challenge with fibropapilloma derived virus; (6) inhibition of in vitro transformation by bovine papilloma virus occurs when sera from calves bearing regressing fibropapillomas are used in conjunction with complement; (7) transformation inhibition activity may be adsorbed from high titre sera using BPV-induced tumour cells or in vitro transformed cells but not using various virus suspensions. The detection of BPV in commercially available milk is reported. While it is highly likely that milk-derived BPV is active, no direct evidence is available since the vast majority of teat lesions contain papilloma and focal epithelial hyperplasia-derived BPV which neither transform cultures in vitro, nor produce fibropapillomas in vivo. The work reported here lends further support for the existence of several types of BPV suggested elsewhere.

Animals↗

In vitro transcription and translation of bluetongue virus mRNA.

Fractionation of in vitro transcribed bluetongue virus (BTV) mRNA by agarose gel electrophoresis resulted in the separation of eight of the 10 species. The relative molar ratio of the mRNAs confirmed that mRNA 5 was transcribed more frequently than would be predicted from the size of the S5 genome segment, while mRNA 10 was transcribed less frequently. In vitro translation of unfractionated BTV mRNAs resulted in the synthesis of the seven known structural proteins (P1 to P7) and two known non-structural proteins (NS1 and NS2). Two additional non-structural proteins (NS3 and NS3A) with Mr of 28K and 25K respectively were identified. The protein coding assignments for the medium- and small-sized double-stranded RNA genome segments of BTV serotype 10 were found to correspond to those reported for BTV-1 and BTV-17. The peptide maps of NS1, NS2, NS3 and NS3A synthesized in vitro corresponded to those of their counterparts synthesized in infected cells. Protein NS3A appeared to be a truncated form of NS3, since its peptide map completely overlapped that of NS3. Proteins NS3 and NS3A were present in very small amounts in the soluble fraction of the cytoplasm of infected cells, and were synthesized in variable amounts in vitro, whereas the other nine viral proteins were synthesized in constant molar ratios. A difference in the relative molar ratios in which some of the BTV proteins were synthesized in vitro and in vivo was observed. In vivo, protein NS1 was translated in the largest amount but in vitro, NS2 was the most efficiently translated protein. Conversely, protein P6 was translated much more efficiently in vitro than in vivo.

Bluetongue virus↗

Translation of cucumber necrosis virus RNA in vitro.

The in vitro translation products directed by cucumber necrosis virus (CNV) RNA were analysed in both rabbit reticulocyte lysate and wheatgerm extract cell-free translation systems. In rabbit reticulocyte lysates, one major protein of approximate Mr 34.6K was produced. In wheatgerm extracts, four proteins of approximate Mr values 41.6K, 34.6K, 24K and 20K were produced. The genomic locations of the CNV in vitro translation products were determined using several experimental approaches including, first, hybrid-arrested translation using negative-sense RNA corresponding to selected regions of the CNV genome, second, in vitro translation of synthetic positive-sense CNV transcripts and third, in vitro translation of CNV virion RNA fractionated according to size. Together these experiments demonstrated that the protein of Mr 34.6K is derived from the 5'-proximal coding region, the 41.6K protein is derived from an internal coding region, and that at least one but probably both the 24K and 20K proteins are derived from the 3'-terminal coding region. In addition, immunoprecipitation of in vitro translation products using anti-CNV polyclonal serum demonstrated that the 41.6K protein is the coat protein. The templates for the expression of CNV cistrons were investigated by in vitro translation of sucrose gradient-fractionated CNV virion RNA as well as in vitro translation of positive-sense synthetic transcripts.

Blotting, Northern↗

Immunological comparison of the in vitro and in vivo labeled victorin binding protein from susceptible oats.

The fungus Cochliobolus victoriae causes victoria blight of oats and produces the host-specific toxin victorin. The reaction of oats to the fungus and its toxin is controlled by a single dominant gene whose product has been hypothesized to function as the site of action (receptor) of the toxin in susceptible oat genotypes. Previously, using a biologically active (125)I derivative of the toxin, we identified a 100 kilodalton victorin-binding protein (VBP) which binds victorin in a ligand-specific manner and binds in vivo only in susceptible oat genotypes. However, a VBP in both the susceptible and resistant oat genotypes was identified by in vitro binding experiments. One interpretation of the lack of genotype-specific binding in vitro is that the 100 kilodalton protein detected in vitro is not the same 100 kilodalton protein detected in vivo. To clarify the relationship between the 100 kilodalton protein(s) labeled in vivo and in vitro, we developed antisera to the in vitro-labeled VBP from the susceptible genotype and demonstrated that these preparations react with the in vivo-labeled VBP from the susceptible genotype. This finding coupled with previous observations strongly suggest that the VBP observed in vivo is the same protein detected in vitro. Furthermore, the results support our previous observations which suggest that the VBPs labeled in vitro in susceptible and resistant genotypes are closely related or identical.

Journal Article↗