Serum thymic factor as a radioprotective agent promoting survival after X-irradiation

Summary Serum thymic factor (FTS, zinc-free thymulin) protected mice from death after whole-body X-irradiation. It was significantly radioprotective even when administered after irradiation, but it was more effective when administered both before and after irradiation. The protective effect appears to be due to the enhancement of hematologic recovery in the animals.     

Tryptophane as a tuberculostatic agent

Résumé L'étude d'un précurseur probable dans la production de l'acide nicotinique par leMycobacterium tuberculosis hominis, révéla que les acides aminiques hétérocycliques, qui sont indispensables à plusieurs organismes, comme le tryptophan et l'histidine, sont bactériostatiques à l'organisme. Cet organisme se développait dans une solution synthétique de Proskauer & Beck (Vorwald's modification). Les acides aminiques tels que l'ornithine et l'arginine aidèrent à sa croissance et favorisèrent la production d'acide nicotinique, ressemblant sur ce point à l'asparagine. Des études préliminaires faites sur des cobayes infectés par l'organisme tuberculeux confirmèrent l'effet bactériostatique du tryptophanein vitro. Du tryptophane fut administré, de fa?on sous-cutanée, à raison de 125 mg par jour pour 10 jours consécutifs, immédiatement après l'infection, à un groupe d'animaux. Un second groupe subit le même traitement, mais à deux semaines du jour de l'infection. Un troisième groupe fut infecté, mais laissé sans traitement. Tous ces animaux furent observés pendant 9 semaines. Après examen bactériologique, microscopipue et macroscopique, l'effet bactériostatique du tryptophanein vivo put être démontré.      

Tumor necrosis factor as an antineoplastic agent: pitfalls and promises

The discovery and cloning of the cytokine tumor necrosis factor α (TNF) gave rise to new hopes for a significant victory in the war against cancer. Preclinical in vitro studies in cell cultures and in vivo studies in animal models demonstrated the antitumor capacities of TNF. Although clinical studies were largely made possible by the availability of recombinant TNF, phase I and II clinical trials showed very quickly that the systemic administration of TNF induced severe side effects mainly due to its pleiotropic action on immunocompetent cells. The clinical manifestations of the side effects were similar to those observed during a severe infection and inflammation. Very recently, lessons from these clinical studies yielded refined approaches whereby the toxicity of TNF is limited through local administration, a combination with other therapeutic regimens and targeted gene therapy. These new approaches are slated for larger clinical trials and in the near future might demonstrate the limited but powerful usefulness of TNF as an antineoplastic agent for different types of cancer. Received 7 September 1998; received after revision 15 October 1998; accepted 15 October 1998     

Common antigenicity between a human thymic epithelial cell product and a thymus-dependent serum factor

Summary Specific immunofluorescence of human thymic epithelial cytoplasm was obtained with antibodies to supernatant of thymic epithelial cultures, and with anti-prealbumin antibodies. These antibodies also reacted with normal serum but not with serum from Di George patients. The data indicates that thymic epithelium and a component of the prealbumin fraction of normal serum share a common antigen believed to be thymic hormone.Acknowledgment. The authors wish to thank Mrs Francine Rivard and Claire Prévost for technical assistance and Dr A.R.C. Dobell for human thymic material. This work was supported by the National Cancer Institute of Canada and the Medical Research Council of Canada.     

Hyperlactacidemia as a factor of thrombocyte adhesiveness

Résumé Les auteurs, après avoir montré le rôle probable de l'hyperlactacidémie dans l'apparition du sludge, du blocage du SRE, de l'dème des cellules endothéliales des vaisseaux et de l'dème intraglial, montrent dans le présent travail sa responsabilité probable dans l'agrégation des plaquettes sanguines de l'homme et du rat, en dehors de toute influence de pH.     

Metabolic syndrome as a risk factor for neurological disorders

The metabolic syndrome is a cluster of common pathologies: abdominal obesity linked to an excess of visceral fat, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and hypertension. At the molecular level, metabolic syndrome is accompanied not only by dysregulation in the expression of adipokines (cytokines and chemokines), but also by alterations in levels of leptin, a peptide hormone released by white adipose tissue. These changes modulate immune response and inflammation that lead to alterations in the hypothalamic ‘bodyweight/appetite/satiety set point,’ resulting in the initiation and development of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a risk factor for neurological disorders such as stroke, depression and Alzheimer’s disease. The molecular mechanism underlying the mirror relationship between metabolic syndrome and neurological disorders is not fully understood. However, it is becoming increasingly evident that all cellular and biochemical alterations observed in metabolic syndrome like impairment of endothelial cell function, abnormality in essential fatty acid metabolism and alterations in lipid mediators along with abnormal insulin/leptin signaling may represent a pathological bridge between metabolic syndrome and neurological disorders such as stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and depression. The purpose of this review is not only to describe the involvement of brain in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome, but also to link the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome with neurochemical changes in stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and depression to a wider audience of neuroscientists with the hope that this discussion will initiate more studies on the relationship between metabolic syndrome and neurological disorders.     

Thalidomide as a mutagenic agent in the mosquito (Culex pipiens molestus)

Zusammenfassung Nach Behandlung von Männchen vonCulex pipiens molestus mit Talidomid konnten im Vergleich zur Kontrolle höhere Raten an phänotypischen Anomalien, Letalmutationen, Semiletalmutationen und einige geprüfte Mutationen in der F₁-, E₂- und F₃-Nachkommenschaft nachgewiesen werden.     

Phenylacetic acid as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of human cancer

Résumé On a montré que l'acide phenylacétique peut être utile pour le traitement du cancer humain.     

Identification of factor XIII-A as a marker of alternative macrophage activation

Factor XIII subunit A of blood coagulation (FXIII-A) is known to be synthesized but not secreted by the monocyte/macrophage cell line. On the basis of its intracellular localization and substrate profile, FXIII-A is thought to be involved in certain intracellular processes. Our present study was designed to monitor the changes in FXIII-A gene expression and protein production in long-term culture of human monocytes during their differentiation into macrophages in the presence of activating agents (interleukin-4, interferon-γ, Mycobacterium bovis BCG) inducing classical and alternative activation pathways. By using quantitative RT-PCR and fluorescent image analysis at the single-cell level we demonstrated that the expression of FXIII-A both at the mRNA as well as at the protein level is inversely regulated during the two activation programmes. Here we conclude that FXIII-A expression is an intracellular marker for alternatively activated macrophages, while its absence in monocyte-derived macrophages indicates their classically activated state.Received 2 June 2005; received after revision 12 July 2005; accepted 22 July 2005     

A Thiamine (Vitamin B1 or Aneurin) antimetabolite as a potent schistosomicidal agent

Zusammenfassung Die biologische Untersuchung eines neuen, mit Vitamin B₁ (Thiamin, Aneurin) strukturverwandten Vitamins hat eine Wirkung gegen Schistosomiasis gezeigt. Diese wird durch Zugabe des natürlichen Vitamins gehemmt.