bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cell-type-specific cytotoxicity of anti-CD4 and anti-CD8 ricin immunotoxins against human alloreactive T-cell clones
Authors: Uckun FM , Myers DE , Ledbetter JA , Wee SL , Vallera DA
Published: October 2019

Potent T-cell subset-directed immunotoxins (ITs) were generated by conjugating the anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody (MoAb) G17–2 and the anti- CD8 MoAb G10.1 to the ribosome-inhibitory protein, ricin. The cell-type- specific cytotoxicities of the generated ITs were evaluated at the clonal level using human alloreactive T-cell clones. The kinetics of anti-CD4 ricin-induced inactivation of protein synthesis in target CD4+ cloned T-cells was first order with no detectable lag period and a maximum rate of 0.07 logs per hour (t10 = 13.6 hours; first-order rate constant/K = 0.17 hr-1). The alloantigen specific lytic function of the CD4+ cytolytic T-cell clone JMAC28 was acutely sensitive to anti-CD4 ricin, and no residual lytic activity against allogeneic targets was detectable 24 hours after treatment with as little as 0.5 mmol/L anti- CD4 ricin. Notably, both anti-CD4 ricin and anti-CD8 ricin elicited a selective and dose-dependent inhibition of clonal proliferation of target T-cell clones with a maximum kill of greater than 3 logs at 5 nmol/L. No significant “bystander effects” were observed for non-target cells. Bone marrow progenitor cells CFU-GM, BFU-E, and CFU-GEMM were only minimally affected by either IT. We conclude that these ITs show considerable potential for effective depletion of T-cell subpopulations from allogeneic donor marrow grafts for clinical graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis.
T-lymphoblastic lymphomas expressing the non-disulfide-linked form of the T-cell receptor gamma/delta: characterization with monoclonal antibodies and genotypic analysis
Authors: Falini B , Flenghi L , Fagioli M , Martelli MF , Pileri S , Grignani F , Beltrami A , Novero D , Pelicci PG
Published: October 2019

Three cases of T-lymphoblastic lymphomas (T-LL) expressing the T cell antigen receptor gamma delta (TCR gamma delta) are reported. All of them were CD3+/beta F1-/TCR delta 1+. Moreover, neoplastic cells reacted with the delta TCS1 monoclonal antibody (MoAb) which binds to the non-disulfide-linked form of the TCR gamma delta, but not with the BB3 MoAb which recognizes the disulfide-linked form of the TCR gamma delta. All cases showed a stage II cortical phenotype, eg, TdT+/CD1+/CD3+/CD5+/CD7+; two of them coexpressed CD4/CD8, while the other was CD4+/CD8-. Two cases were positive for CALLA and CD25. Immunogenotypic analysis showed evidence of T beta and C gamma 2 gene rearrangements in all three cases and immunoglobulin (Ig) gene rearrangements in two cases. Two patients presented with an anterior mediastinal mass and the third with a solitary inguinal lymphadenopathy. We suggest that these cases of TCR gamma delta+ T-LL may be derived from the small population (approximately 0.5%) of CD3+ cortical thymocytes which, in the normal human thymus, express the delta TCS1-reactive, non-disulfide-linked form of the TCR gamma delta.
Mutations of the ras protooncogenes in chronic myelogenous leukemia: a high frequency of ras mutations in bcr/abl rearrangement-negative chronic myelogenous leukemia
Authors: Cogswell PC , Morgan R , Dunn M , Neubauer A , Nelson P , Poland-Johnston NK , Sandberg AA , Liu E
Published: October 2019

Seventy cases of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) were analyzed for the presence of ras mutations using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), oligonucleotide hybridization, and direct PCR sequencing. All cases had preceding cytogenetic and bcr rearrangement studies. Aberrant ras genes were detected in none of 39 patients with Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome or bcr/abl rearrangement positive chronic-phase CML and in only 1 of 18 patients in blast crisis, suggesting that ras mutations have little or no role in initiation or progression of common CML. Seven of 13, or 54% of patients with bcr/abl rearrangement negative chronic phase CML (atypical CML) harbored mutations in ras, however. This high incidence of ras mutations, together with the absence of bcr/abl rearrangement, provides evidence that atypical CML is an entity that is molecularly distinct from common CML. Moreover, the clinical characteristics and the high frequency of ras mutations suggest that atypical CML may constitute a subset of the myelodysplastic syndrome and may be best classified as a variant of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML).
In vivo activation of human neutrophil functions by administration of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in patients with malignant lymphoma
Authors: Ohsaka A , Kitagawa S , Sakamoto S , Miura Y , Takanashi N , Takaku F , Saito M
Published: October 2019

Recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) was administered (50 to 800 micrograms/m2) once daily as a half-hour intravenous (IV) infusion for 14 days to seven patients with malignant lymphoma. In all patients, administration of rhG-CSF not only ameliorated the decrease in absolute neutrophil count after the cytotoxic chemotherapy but also enhanced superoxide (O2-) release in neutrophils stimulated by N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP). The priming effect of rhG-CSF on neutrophil O2- release was rapid (evident within 6.5 hours) and sustained at least for 24 hours after a single IV administration of rhG-CSF. The responsiveness to further in vitro challenge of rhG-CSF was lost or reduced in neutrophils isolated after rhG-CSF treatment, indicating that neutrophils already primed in vivo by rhG-CSF are desensitized to this factor. In contrast to the results obtained with FMLP, when phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) was used as stimulus, no consistent enhancement of O2- release was observed, suggesting that rhG-CSF modulates the signal transduction pathways linked to FMLP receptors rather than increases the components of the O2- producing enzyme complexes. Administration of rhG-CSF also rapidly (evident within 15 minutes) caused an increase in expression of neutrophil C3bi-receptors that was sustained for at least 24 hours after a single IV administration of rhG- CSF. Pharmacokinetic study of rhG-CSF showed a half-life (t1/2) of 114 min. These findings show that rhG-CSF is a potent activator for neutrophil functions both in vivo and in vitro.
Recurrent acute splenic sequestration crisis due to interacting genetic defects: hemoglobin SC disease and hereditary spherocytosis
Authors: Warkentin TE , Barr RD , Ali MA , Mohandas N
Published: October 2019

A 14-year-old boy with hemoglobin SC disease and alpha-thalassemia-2 experienced five episodes of acute splenic sequestration crisis (ASSC), while two of his siblings with identical globin genotypes (SC and - alpha/alpha alpha) had no such experience. To determine if an additional red blood cell (RBC) defect was responsible for the unusual occurrence of frequent ASSCs, we performed detailed rheologic characterization and membrane protein analysis on RBCs from the proband and other members of his family. Reduced surface area, increased mechanical instability, and decreased spectrin content of the membrane, distinguishing features of RBCs in hereditary spherocytosis, were observed in cells from the proband and his mother, but not in cells from other family members. These findings are consistent with the dominant inheritance of spherocytosis by the proband. We suggest that the combined effects of SC disease and spherocytosis in the proband resulted in decreased RBC deformability and led to increased splenic trapping, intrasplenic sickling, and consequently, recurrent sequestration crisis. Marked clinical and hematologic improvement occurred from splenectomy. Thus, inheritance of interacting genetic defects, sickling hemoglobinopathy, and hereditary spherocytosis appear to be responsible for the unusual clinical manifestation of recurrent ASSC in this patient.
Gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase deficiency and hemolytic anemia
Authors: Beutler E , Moroose R , Kramer L , Gelbart T , Forman L
Published: October 2019

gamma-Glutamylcysteine synthetase is one of the enzymes of glutathione (GSH) synthesis. A deficiency of this enzyme has been found only once previously in humans: it was associated with spinocerebellar degeneration and hemolytic anemia. We report the case of a woman, daughter of fifth cousins, who was gamma-glutamylcysteine-synthetase- deficient. Modest decreases in the amount of GSH in cultured lymphoblasts and fibroblasts could be documented. The amount of residual enzyme was insufficient to permit detailed studies of the characteristics of the mutant enzymes, but no major abnormality in its Km for cysteine and glutamic acid or in its heat stability were found. In contrast to the earlier report, the only manifestation of the enzyme deficiency was hemolytic anemia. This leads us to conclude that either the occurrence of neurologic symptoms in the other reported family was a chance association or that the clinical expression of this rare defect is pleomorphic.
Pure red cell aplasia of long duration complicating major ABO- incompatible bone marrow transplantation [see comments]
Authors: Gmur JP , Burger J , Schaffner A , Neftel K , Oelz O , Frey D , Metaxas M
Published: October 2019

In 3 of 15 consecutive patients receiving a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical but major ABO incompatible bone marrow transplant (BMT), pure red cell aplasia (PRA) lasting 5 to 8 months was observed. Titers of the incompatible anti-A agglutinin before infusion of the red blood cell (RBC)-depleted BMT was very high in one, and in the usual range in two patients. Decrease of agglutinin titers during the first 4 weeks after BMT were comparable between PRA patients and those of ABO- incompatible BMT recipients with timely RBC recovery. However, in PRA patients, agglutinin titers rose again and remained elevated for 19 to 28 weeks. RBC engraftment and reticulocyte recovery ultimately occurred spontaneously and coincided with the decrease of agglutinin titers below 16. These observations indicate that PRA is antibody-dependent in this setting. Furthermore, it is conceivable that cyclosporine facilitates recipient-derived antibody synthesis after major ABO- incompatible BMT.
Acute and subacute hematologic effects of multi-colony stimulating factor in combination with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in vivo
Authors: Ulich TR , del Castillo J , McNiece IK , Yin SM , Irwin B , Busser K , Guo KZ
Published: October 2019

Multi-colony stimulating factor (Multi-CSF, interleukin-3, IL-3) and granulocyte-CSF (G-CSF) administered concurrently as an intravenous (IV) injection induce a peripheral neutrophilia that is approximately additive in comparison with the neutrophilia induced by IL-3 and G-CSF individually. The bone marrow (BM) at 12 hours is depleted of mature neutrophils and shows a left-shifted myeloid hyperplasia, consistent with the neutrophil-releasing and myeloproliferative activities of both IL-3 and G-CSF individually. The BM at 24 hours shows a replenished reserve of mature neutrophils and a synergistic left-shifted myeloid hyperplasia as compared with IL-3 and G-CSF alone. Daily IV injections of IL-3 plus G-CSF for 1 week also induce an approximately additive daily peripheral neutrophilia. The BM after a week's administration of IL-3 plus G-CSF shows a generalized myeloid hyperplasia with a synergistic increase in mature neutrophils as compared with IL-3 or G- CSF alone. Daily injection of IL-3 plus G-CSF induced a significant decrease in erythroid, lymphoid, and eosinophilic marrow precursors, possibly owing to a myelophthisic effect of the myeloid hyperplasia and despite the fact that IL-3 alone induced a significant erythroid hyperplasia.
Proliferation of early human myeloid precursors induced by interleukin- 1 and recombinant soluble CD23
Authors: Mossalayi MD , Arock M , Bertho JM , Blanc C , Dalloul AH , Hofstetter H , Sarfati M , Delespesse G , Debre P
Published: October 2019

Low affinity Fc epsilon receptors (Fc epsilon RII/CD23) or their soluble fragments have various biologic effects on B- and T-cell lineages. In this study, we have assessed the effect of recombinant soluble CD23 (rsCD23) on the proliferation of human bone marrow (BM)- derived myeloid precursors with or without recombinant interleukin-1 (rIL-1) addition. Non-adherent CD2- or CD34+ BM cell subsets were used as target cells. Our results show that rsCD23 in synergy with rIL-1 displays an interleukin-3-like activity as it promotes the proliferation of multipotential marrow precursors. This effect was abolished by anti-CD23 addition to these cultures, but was not affected by anti-IL-3 monoclonal antibody. Furthermore, sequential study indicates that rIL-1 induces bone marrow cell responsiveness to rsCD23.
Characterization of two types of fetal hemoglobin: alpha 2G gamma 2 and alpha 2A gamma 2
Authors: Adachi K , Kim J , Asakura T , Schwartz E
Published: October 2019

The effect of differences in G gamma and A gamma fractions of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) on the kinetics of polymerization of HbS-HbF mixtures was studied. We also examined their effect on oxygen affinity, surface hydrophobicity, mechanical stability, and solubility of HbF. Differences in G gamma:A gamma ratio did not affect the polymerization of mixtures of HbF and HbS, suggesting that the inhibitory effect of HbF on the polymerization of HbS is independent of the G gamma:A gamma ratio of HbF and is totally dependent on the fraction of HbF in the mixture. The oxygen equilibrium curve of HbF was not affected by differences in the ratios of G gamma and A gamma in HbF. In contrast, surface hydrophobicity, mechanical stability, and solubility of HbF were affected by differences in the G gamma:A gamma ratio. The higher the G gamma:A gamma ratio, the smaller the elution volume on a TSK Gel SW hydrophobic column in high phosphate buffer. The mechanical stability of HbF was also dependent on the ratio of G gamma:A gamma; stability was greater at higher fractions of A gamma. Differences in the G gamma:A gamma ratio also affected solubility of HbF: HbF containing the higher fraction of G gamma was the more soluble. These data indicate that although alanine at the 136th position of the gamma chains has a stronger surface hydrophobicity than does glycine, this difference does not affect either the polymerization of HbS or the oxygen affinity of HbF.
Effects of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (CSF), human granulocyte macrophage-CSF, and gibbon interleukin-3 on hematopoiesis in human long-term bone marrow culture
Authors: Coutinho LH , Will A , Radford J , Schiro R , Testa NG , Dexter TM
Published: October 2019

We have studied the effects of recombinant human granulocyte colony- stimulating factor (rhG-CSF), hG macrophage-CSF (hGM-CSF), and gibbon interleukin-3 (gIL-3) on cell proliferation and differentiation in human long-term bone marrow culture (LTBMC). hG-CSF induced a maximal increase of 2.3-fold in both total nonadherent cells and GM cluster- forming cells, but only an increase of 1.7-fold in GM-colony-forming cell (GM-CFC) numbers, influencing mainly neutrophil differentiation. Cultures treated with hGM-CSF demonstrated a peak of 12.8-, 21- and 3.2- fold elevations in total nonadherent cells, cluster, and GM-CFC, respectively, and influenced differentiation of neutrophils, monocytes, eosinophils, and lymphocytes. Cultures treated with gIL-3 demonstrated the largest expansion in the GM-CFC population, reaching a maximum of 5.3-fold in relation to that of unstimulated controls. IL-3 treatment also increased the numbers of GM clusters and mature cells (including all myeloid cells and lymphocytes) 7.8- and 4.8-fold, respectively. Similar quantitative and qualitative changes were induced by G-CSF, GM- CSF, and IL-3 in LTBMCs of patients in remission after treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia or Hodgkin's lymphoma. Overall, the expansion of GM progenitor cells in cultures treated with growth factors was larger in the adherent cell layer than in the nonadherent cell fraction. In addition, hGM-CSF, gIL-3, and hG-CSF to a less extent, increased the cycling rates of GM-CFC progenitors located in the adherent layer. These results indicate that hG-CSF is a much less potent stimulus of hematopoiesis in LTBMC than the other CSFs assayed, and that the increases in cell production after treatment with G-CSF, GM-CSF, or IL-3 may be achieved by primary expansion of different cell populations within the hierarchy of the hematopoietic system. The effects of the growth factors were transient and the longevity of hematopoiesis in the cultures was not altered, suggesting that treatment with IL-3, GM-CSF, or G-CSF had not compromised the ability of primitive cells to give rise to mature cells. This indicates that the stromal microenvironment in LTBMC can override potential differentiation-inducing activities of the CSFs.
Long- and short-lived murine hematopoietic stem cell clones individually identified with retroviral integration markers
Authors: Capel B , Hawley RG , Mintz B
Published: October 2019

The proliferative longevity of totipotent hematopoietic stem cells (THSC) is a limiting factor in normal hematopoiesis and in therapy by cell- or gene-replacement, but has not yet been ascertained. We have followed the long-term fate of individual clones of mouse THSC from fetal liver or adult bone marrow, after labeling in culture, followed by engraftment and serial transplantation in unirradiated W/Wv-C57BL/6 hosts. The ancestor cell of each clone and its mitotic progeny were uniquely identifiable retrospectively by the DNA integration pattern experimentally produced by replication-incompetent recombinant murine retroviruses. These viruses provided physiologically neutral markers. The marked clones proved to be derived from THSC, based on their contributions to a wide array of myeloid and lymphoid blood lineages in the hosts. The label also identified the target cells as the population displaying clonal succession. The various labeled stem cell clones proliferated for substantially different periods of time. The longest observed clone endured, after the original cell was marked, for at least 2 1/2 years--the equivalent of a mouse's lifetime. However, the results suggest that THSC clones are not all long-lived and that even the longest-lived ones may not be potentially immortal. Thus, the unpredictable lifespan of any given THSC clone indicates the desirability of introducing multiple clones in therapeutic transplants.
Human P40 T-cell growth factor (interleukin-9) supports erythroid colony formation
Authors: Donahue RE , Yang YC , Clark SC
Published: October 2019

Because human P40 T-cell growth factor, tentatively designated interleukin-9 (IL-9), was isolated through its ability to stimulate a human IL-3-dependent leukemic cell line (M-O7E), we tested the ability of IL-9 to support the growth and differentiation of normal hematopoietic progenitor cells from peripheral blood and bone marrow. Although the M-O7E cell line was derived from a patient with megakaryoblastic leukemia, IL-9 has not proved to be a growth or maturation factor for megakaryocytes, but instead has proved to be effective in supporting the development of erythroid bursts (BFU-E) in cultures supplemented with erythropoietin. Using highly purified progenitors from peripheral blood, IL-3 showed a BFU-E plating efficiency of 46% compared with 20% for IL-9. Because of the purity of these cell preparations and the low cell density in culture, IL-9 is likely to interact directly with erythroid progenitors. Analysis of mixing experiments and of the morphology of the BFU-E in culture indicated that IL-9 interacts preferentially with a relatively early population of IL-3-responsive BFU-E. In cultures of human bone marrow or cord blood, IL-9 selectively supported erythroid colony formation, while IL-3 and granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor additionally yielded granulocyte/macrophage colonies. Therefore, IL-9 represents a new T cell-derived cytokine with the potential for selectively stimulating erythroid development in the hematopoietic system.
Recombinant human interleukin-3 expands the pool of circulating hematopoietic progenitor cells in primates--synergism with recombinant human granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor
Authors: Geissler K , Valent P , Mayer P , Liehl E , Hinterberger W , Lechner K , Bettelheim P
Published: October 2019

The in vivo effect of recombinant human interleukin-3 (rhIL-3) on peripheral blood (PB) levels of hematopoietic progenitor cells was studied in nonhuman primates. Subcutaneous administration of 33 micrograms/kg/d of rhIL-3 for 11 to 14 days to rhesus monkeys slightly raised leukocyte counts (twofold) and substantially expanded the pool of circulating stem cells in the second week of treatment. At the end of rhIL-3 administration, PB levels of granulocyte/macrophage colony- forming units (CFU-GM) increased by a mean of 12-fold; burst-forming units-erythroid (BFU-E) by ninefold; CFU-mix, by 12-fold; and CFU- megakaryocyte (Mk), by 13-fold as compared with their respective pretreatment values. Subsequent administration of recombinant human granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF; 5.5 micrograms/kg/d for 5 days) to rhIL-3-pretreated animals further expanded the PB stem cell compartment leading to maximum levels of CFU- GM that were in average much more increased (63-fold) than CFU-GM levels under rhIL-3 (14-fold) or rhGM-CSF (12-fold) alone. This hitherto unknown effect of rhIL-3 on the pool of circulating progenitors, particularly in synergy with rhGM-CSF, may facilitate harvest of hematopoietic progenitor cells from PB for stem cell transplantation.
Thrombospondin functions as a cytoadhesion molecule for human hematopoietic progenitor cells
Authors: Long MW , Dixit VM
Published: October 2019

We explored the role that thrombospondin (TSP), a multifunctional extracellular matrix protein, plays in hematopoietic cell-cell and cell- matrix interactions. Thrombospondin synthesis is differentially regulated in human long-term bone marrow cultures. Consistent with this, human hematopoietic progenitor cells of all three lineages (erythrocyte, megakaryocyte, and granulocyte) use TSP as an attachment protein. However, terminally differentiated cells (erythrocytes and neutrophils) show absent or reduced attachment to TSP. The region within the TSP molecule that mediates cell attachment (cell binding domain) was delineated by examining both attachment to proteolytic fragments of TSP and by inhibition of cytoadhesion using monoclonal antibodies directed against TSP domains. The cell binding domain resides toward the C-terminus of a 140 Kd chymotryptic fragment of TSP. We conclude that thrombospondin functions as a hematopoietic cytoadhesion molecule, capable of binding primary hematopoietic progenitor cells, and may, therefore, be important in blood cell development.
Platelet aggregation in flowing blood at a site of injury to an endothelial cell monolayer: quantitation and real-time imaging with the TAB monoclonal antibody
Authors: Grabowski EF
Published: October 2019

Epifluorescence videomicroscopy permits real-time imaging of platelet adhesion/aggregation to a defined microinjury of a monolayer of endothelial cells exposed to flowing blood. The fluorescent label is the TAB murine monoclonal antibody directed against human platelet GP IIB, together with a fluorescein-conjugated goat F(ab')2 against murine immunoglobulin. The combination assures specificity for platelet membranes, yet leaves platelet function intact. TAB is first added to gently mixed, citrated human blood; the second antibody is added 1 hour after the first, mixing continuing for a second hour. Bovine aortic endothelial cell monolayers (ECMs), grown on rectangular cover glasses precoated with microfibrillar collagen, comprise one wall of a flow chamber mounted on a vertical microscope stage. A loop of 6–0 sterile suture is drawn across the ECM in order to create microinjuries of width 70 +/- 15 microns (mean +/- SD) oriented in a direction transverse to flow. Platelet adhesion/aggregation is virtually absent on intact and confluent regions of the monolayer. On micro-injury sites and at shear rates of 60 to 1,080 sec-1, however, computer-enhanced images obtained by means of videomicroscopy show arrival and adherence of single platelets resulting in the formation of platelet aggregates elongated in the flow direction. When the monolayers are pretreated with 1.0 mmol/L lysine acetylsalicylate, the mean aggregate thickness increases (2P less than .05) to 260 +/- 58% (mean +/- SE, N = 6) of control, aggregates are regularly shed downstream, and the surface area of the injury site covered by platelets is augmented (2P less than .05) from 14.8 +/- 3.9% to 49.2 +/- 4.7% (mean +/- SE, N = 6). Donor ingestion of aspirin, on the other hand, leads to an increase (2P less than .01) in percent surface coverage to 42.7 +/- 8.5 without a concomitant increase in mean aggregate thickness. In parallel with the above, outflow levels of serum thromboxane and prostacyclin are measured by radioimmunoassays (RIAs) for thromboxane B2 and 6-Keto-PGF1 alpha, respectively. Thromboxane B2 is increased (2P less than .01) by monolayer pretreatment with lysine acetylsalicylate from 5.08 +/- 1.47 to 9.35 +/- 2.42, but decreased (2P less than .05) after oral aspirin to 1.21 +/- 0.38 ng/mL (mean +/- SE, N = 6). Levels of 6-Keto-PGF1 alpha were reduced (2P less than .05) by monolayer pretreatment from 0.48 +/- 0.046 to 0.36 +/- 0.016 ng/mL. Platelet adhesion/aggregation at a site of injury to an endothelial cell monolayer, therefore, can be imaged in flowing blood in real time using a monoclonal antibody approach.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Inhibition of coagulation and thrombin-induced platelet activities by a synthetic dodecapeptide modeled on the carboxy-terminus of hirudin
Authors: Jakubowski JA , Maraganore JM
Published: October 2019

A synthetic, tyrosine-sulfated, dodecapeptide (BG8865) modeled on residues 53–64 of hirudin was found to elevate the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), and thrombin time (TT) of human plasma in a dose-dependent manner. The most sensitive assay was the TT, which was prolonged 2 and 3 times control values at 2.2 and 4.1 micrograms/mL hirudin peptide, respectively. The sulfated dodecapeptide exhibited no dependency on antithrombin III as monitored by the APTT in the presence of sheep anti-human antithrombin III antibodies, and its activity was not neutralized by platelet releasates or platelet factor 4. In studies of thrombin-induced platelet activation, the hirudin peptide was found to block aggregation, serotonin release and thromboxane A2 generation. At thrombin concentrations of 0.25 U/mL, the IC50 (concentration resulting in 50% inhibition) for inhibition of platelet aggregation was 0.72 micrograms/mL peptide. Inhibition of TXA2 generation and serotonin release correlated closely with inhibition of aggregation. Using platelets from patients with clinically documented heparin-induced thrombocytopenia anticoagulant doses of heparin were found to induce platelet aggregation and thromboxane A2 generation. In sharp contrast, anticoagulant-equivalent doses of hirudin peptide had no effect on patient platelets, as evidenced by a lack of platelet aggregation and thromboxane A2 generation. These data provide compelling in vitro evidence that the hirudin peptide has several potential advantages over heparin, namely effective inhibition of thrombin-induced platelet activities, co-factor independence, insensitivity to endogenous heparin- neutralizing factors, and an apparent lack of direct or immune-mediated platelet stimulating properties.
A role for intracellular histamine in collagen-induced platelet aggregation
Authors: Saxena SP , McNicol A , Brandes LJ , Becker AB , Gerrard JM
Published: October 2019

We previously demonstrated that newly formed intracellular histamine mediates platelet aggregation in response to phorbol-12-myristate-13- acetate (PMA). We now report further investigations of the role of histamine during physiological activation of platelets by collagen. Platelets stirred with collagen produced histamine; the rise in histamine precedes the onset of aggregation. The dose response for collagen stimulation of histamine synthesis and platelet aggregation is similar. Inhibitors of histidine decarboxylase (HDC) block both aggregation and histamine synthesis in parallel. Histamine production is not dependent on aggregation; both the intracellular histamine receptor antagonist, N,N-diethyl-2-[4-(phenylmethyl)phenoxy]ethanamine- HCl (DPPE), and the cyclooxygenase inhibitors, aspirin and indomethacin, inhibit collagen-induced aggregation but not histamine synthesis. DPPE also inhibits collagen-induced serotonin secretion and thromboxane production. The effects of DPPE and HDC inhibitors are significantly reversed by the addition of histamine (0.1 to 10 mumol/L) to saponin-permeabilized platelets, though histamine alone has no pro- aggregatory effects. The results suggest that newly synthesized intracellular histamine has a role in collagen-induced platelet activation and that it may act to promote the generation of thromboxane and the secretion responses of platelet granules.
High human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I proviral DNA load with polyclonal integration in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of French West Indian, Guianese, and African patients with tropical spastic paraparesis
Authors: Gessain A , Saal F , Gout O , Daniel MT , Flandrin G , de The G , Peries J , Sigaux F
Published: October 2019

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) proviral integration status was examined by Southern blot analysis in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) DNA from patients presenting a tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP) and serological evidence of HTLV-I infection. Surface phenotype and morphological aspects of PBMC were also studied. A polyclonal HTLV-I proviral integration was found in the PBMC of the 10 patients studied irrespective of their geographical origin (French West Indies, French Guiana, and Africa), the duration of their clinical illness, or the HTLV-I antibody titer. Furthermore, by dilution experiments and hypothesizing that only one copy of HTLV-I proviral DNA is present in one cell, we estimated that this HTLV-I integration is present in 3% to 15% of their PBMC. All 10 TSP/HTLV-I patients studied had an average of 10% of their lymphocytes abnormal, presenting either a misshapen nucleus or an adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL)-like feature. Moreover, an elevated CD4/CD8 ratio associated with the presence of activated T cells with a high level of DR expression was observed in most patients. The significant frequency of viral-positive PBMC and the important load of HTLV-I proviral DNA that we observed in TSP/HTLV-I patients might play an important role in the pathogenesis of this recently identified clinico-virological entity.
Philadelphia chromosome-negative chronic myelogenous leukemia without breakpoint cluster region rearrangement: a chronic myeloid leukemia with a distinct clinical course
Authors: Kurzrock R , Kantarjian HM , Shtalrid M , Gutterman JU , Talpaz M
Published: October 2019

The hallmarks of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) include the Philadelphia chromosome (Ph) translocation [t (9;22)(q34;q11)] and consistent molecular genetic aberrations: a break within a restricted 5.8 kb DNA segment, bcr, on chromosome 22q11; transposition of the c- abl protooncogene from chromosome 9q34 to 22q11; and formation of a hybrid bar-abl gene encoding an abnormal 210 Kd bcr-abl protein with augmented tyrosine kinase enzymatic activity. These molecular phenomena may occur even in the absence of cytogenetic evidence of the Ph translocation. They are highly specific and sensitive markers for CML, and are presumed to play a significant role in the pathogenesis of this malignancy. Surprisingly, we have encountered 11 patients who lacked the Ph translocation, bcr rearrangement, and (in the four patients with available mRNA) a bcr-abl message, and yet had a disease phenotype at diagnosis that was a morphologic facsimile of classic chronic phase CML. These patients presented with high white blood cell counts, neutrophilia, occasional basophilia, splenomegaly, and a hypercellular bone marrow with granulocytic hyperplasia and a left shift in myeloid maturation. Despite the striking resemblance between the early stages of bcr-negative and bcr-positive CML, disease progression manifests distinctly in these two disorders. In contrast to the blastic transformation that inevitably complicates bcr-positive CML, the natural history of our 11 Ph-negative, bcr-negative CML patients was characterized by increasing leukemia burden with leukocytosis, pronounced organomegaly, extramedullary infiltrates, and eventual bone marrow failure (anemia and thrombocytopenia) without marked increases in blast cells. Our current observations suggest that a chronic myeloid leukemia process can develop without associated changes in the bcr or c- abl genes. Although the initial phase of this disease is indistinguishable from CML, the presence or absence of molecular markers may aid in the prediction of the clinical course of Ph-negative CML.
Divergent effects of interleukin-4 (IL-4) on the granulocyte colony- stimulating factor and IL-3-supported myeloid colony formation from normal and leukemic bone marrow cells
Authors: Vellenga E , de Wolf JT , Beentjes JA , Esselink MT , Smit JW , Halie MR
Published: October 2019

Human recombinant interleukin-4 (IL-4) was studied for its effects on myeloid progenitor cells from normal and leukemic bone marrow cells in the presence and absence of additional growth factors. IL-4 itself did not support myeloid cluster or colony formation (CFU-GM). However, cultures supplied with IL-4 (300 U/mL) and IL-3 demonstrated a significant decline in myeloid colony numbers (CFU-GM) compared with the effects of IL-3 alone: (48 +/- 27 v 88 +/- 27 CFU-GM/10(5) MNC). In contrast, IL-4 augmented the G-CSF-supported CFU-GM: (80 +/- 31 v 148 +/- 52 CFU-GM/10(5) MNC). The effects of IL-4 were not mediated by accessory cells because similar results were obtained with and without T-cell, B-cell, or adherent depleted cell fractions. Morphologic analysis of clusters (day 7) and the colonies (day 14) demonstrated that IL-4 enhanced myeloid colony formation in the presence of G-CSF, whereas the cultures supplied with IL-3 and IL-4 did not show a lineage- restricted decline of CFU-GM. A heterogeneity in growth response was observed in the leukemic counterpart. With the 3H-thymidine proliferation assay, IL-4 augmented the G-CSF-induced proliferation of acute myeloid leukemic (AML) cells in 4 of the 12 cases, while the IL-3- supported proliferation was antagonized in 3 of the 12 cases. In the blast colony assay, IL-4 suppressed the IL-3-supported AML-CFU in the majority of cases, but enhanced the G-CSF stimulated AML-CFU in 3 of 6 cases. These data demonstrate divergent effects of IL-4 on the normal myeloid progenitor cell in the presence of IL-3 or G-CSF, while a variability in responsiveness is observed in the leukemic counterpart.
Identification of the platelet-specific alloantigen, Naka, on platelet membrane glycoprotein IV
Authors: Tomiyama Y , Take H , Ikeda H , Mitani T , Furubayashi T , Mizutani H , Yamamoto N , Tandon NN , Sekiguchi S , Jamieson GA
Published: October 2019

We describe the membrane localization of a new platelet-specific alloantigen, designated Naka, that is involved in refractoriness to HLA- matched platelet transfusions. By indirect immunoprecipitation, anti- Naka antibody precipitated a single, radiolabeled platelet membrane protein with a molecular weight (mol wt) of 91 Kd from Naka-positive platelets. When radiolabeled Naka-negative platelets were used as a source of target antigens, no radiolabeled proteins were precipitated. The analyses using nonreduced-reduced two-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and using rabbit antiglycoprotein (GP)IV demonstrated that this protein corresponds to GPIV (alternatively GPIIIb). Furthermore, in dot immunobinding, anti- Naka antibody bound to purified GPIV. Our results provide definitive evidence that the Naka alloantigen is carried on GPIV. These results also demonstrate that, on occasion, antibodies against GPIV may play an important role in refractoriness to platelet transfusions.
Studies on transfer of varicella-zoster-virus specific T-cell immunity from bone marrow donor to recipient
Authors: Kato S , Yabe H , Yabe M , Kimura M , Ito M , Tsuchida F , Tsuji K , Takahashi M
Published: October 2019

The transfer of antigen-specific cellular immunity in human bone marrow transplantation (BMT) was studied in 49 donor-recipient pairs, using a varicella-zoster-virus (VZV) specific lymphoproliferative response (LPR) assay. Posttransplant VZV-LPR could be serially measured in 31 long-term surviving recipients. VZV-specific T-cell immunity was detected in the early posttransplant period in 4 of 16 recipients who were, and whose donors were, immune to VZV before BMT, but two of those positive responses diminished in the first 100 days posttransplant. No positive response was detected in the immediate posttransplant period when either only the recipient or the donor was immune to VZV pretransplant. Herpes zoster or chickenpox developed in the recipients depending on a history of pretransplant VZV infection when the VZV-LPR became negative, and recovery from VZV infection was always followed by quick conversion of VZV-LPR. Long-lasting positive VZV-LPR was observed in the two recipients who experienced VZV infection in the immediate pretransplant period and received marrow graft from an immune donor. Our results indicate that a simple or direct transfer of VZV-specific cellular immunity from a marrow donor to a recipient cannot be expected in usual clinical bone marrow transplantation and that there might be a collaboration or recruitment of immune responses involving both donor and recipient that permits the VZV-LPR to remain positive posttransplant.
Effects of low molecular weight B-cell growth factor on proliferation of leukemic cells from children with B-cell precursor-acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Findley HW Jr , Zhou MX , Davis R , Abdul-Rahim Y , Hnath R , Ragab AH
Published: October 2019

Recently, low-molecular-weight B-cell growth factor (LMW-BCGF) has been reported to stimulate growth of leukemic cells from B-cell precursor- acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL). We further investigated the effects of LMW-BCGF on proliferation of leukemic clonogenic (progenitor) and nonclonogenic (progeny) cells from children with BCP- ALL (28 patients) and B-cell ALL (two patients). Patients were either at diagnosis (n = 18) or in relapse (n = 12). Response of leukemic progenitor cells was determined by culturing cells (10(5) cells/mL) in methylcellulose with 0.1 U/mL LMW-BCGF. Colonies (greater than 20 cells) were counted at day 7. The response of the leukemic progeny population was determined by DNA synthesis studies using tritiated- thymidine and by DNA quantitation with propidiumiodide for determination of cell-cycle status. LMW-BCGF supported growth of leukemic progenitor cells from 20 of 28 (71%) BCP-ALL and two of two B- cell ALL patients. Colony numbers ranged from 7 to 2,400 (mean 145, median 45). A dose-response effect in colony growth was noted, with an apparent plateau at approximately 2.0 U/mL LMW-BCGF. Colony cells were primarily of leukemic phenotype (CD19+/CD10+/-). LMW-BCGF also induced significant increases in leukemic progeny cell proliferation as measured by both thymidine incorporation (stimulation indexes of 1.6 to 34) and by cell-cycle assay (percentage S+ G2/M stimulation indexes of 1.6 to 6). LMW-BCGF was more effective in stimulating leukemic proliferation than three recombinant interleukins (rIL-2, rIL-3, rIL- 4), although rIL-3 was able to support colony growth in 4 of 11 patients. These results indicate that LMW-BCGF and, to a lesser degree rIL-3, are able to stimulate proliferation of BCP-ALL progenitor and progeny cells, whereas rIL-2 and rIL-4 do not support progenitor cell proliferation and have only marginal effects on leukemic progeny cell proliferation.
Hairy cell leukemia preferentially expresses the IgG3-subclass
Authors: Kluin-Nelemans HC , Krouwels MM , Jansen JH , Dijkstra K , van Tol MJ , den Ottolander GJ , Dreef EJ , Kluin PM
Published: October 2019

Surface IgG expression of 29 cases of hairy cell leukemia (HCL) was assessed using IgG-subclass-specific monoclonal and F(ab)'2 polyclonal antibodies. A marked preference for the IgG3 subclass was found, as 16 of 19 IgG-positive HCL's expressed IgG3. In 10 cases, IgG3 was concurrently expressed with other heavy chains. No preferential IgG3 expression was observed in 11 IgG-positive non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. The marked predominance of IgG3 in HCL suggests a deviation in heavy chain class switching that may be related to the characteristically very low expression of LFA-1 and ICAM-1 molecules on hairy cells, and hence a defect in T-cell hairy cell interaction.
Impaired secretion of mutant alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor (alpha 2 PI- Nara) from COS-7 and HepG2 cells: molecular and cellular basis for hereditary deficiency of alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor
Authors: Miura O , Aoki N
Published: October 2019

The elongated mutant of alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor (alpha 2 PI) designated as alpha 2 PI-Nara is caused by a frameshift mutation found near the 3′ end of the coding region of the alpha 2 PI gene. To elucidate the mechanism by which this molecular abnormality leads to alpha 2 PI deficiency in plasma, we transfected an expression plasmid for alpha 2 PI-Nara into a monkey kidney cell line COS-7 or human hepatoma cell line HepG2 synthesizing alpha 2 PI, and analyzed the secretory process of the expressed alpha 2 PI-Nara by radioimmunoprecipitation followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and fluorography. The results obtained showed that the recombinant alpha 2 PI-Nara was retained within the cells for prolonged periods as an endoglycosidase H- sensitive precursor form, and only a small portion of the recombinant protein was secreted into the medium as a neuraminidase-sensitive mature form. These results suggest that instead of being secreted from the cells, most of the alpha 2 PI-Nara undergoes degradation within the cells while its transport is retarded in the intracellular secretory pathway; thus, alpha 2 PI-Nara should lead to the alpha 2 PI deficiency primarily by causing a block in the intracellular transport from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi complex.
Human platelet osteonectin: release, surface expression, and partial characterization
Authors: Kelm RJ Jr , Mann KG
Published: October 2019

Our laboratory has previously shown that osteonectin, an abundant noncollagenous bone protein, is contained in and secreted from human platelets. In this study, the distribution of osteonectin both in the supernatant and on the platelet surface after activation was measured by fluid-phase and solid-phase radioimmunoassay, respectively. Total cellular osteonectin was determined by RIA of guanidinium chloride extracted platelets and ranged from 0.65 to 2.2 micrograms/10(8) platelets or 135,000 to 457,000 molecules/platelet. Platelets treated with varying concentrations of collagen and thrombin released osteonectin in a dose-dependent fashion. Approximately 61% of the total platelet osteonectin was secreted at saturating concentrations of collagen and thrombin. A small fraction of platelet osteonectin is expressed on the surface of platelets in an activation-specific manner as evidenced by the specific and saturable binding of [125I]-anti- osteonectin monoclonal antibody, IIIA3A8, to thrombin-activated platelets. Based on a non-linear least squares regression analysis of the antibody binding, 2,200 IIIA3A8 molecules, or 0.8% of the total platelet osteonectin, is expressed on the platelet surface on activation. Platelet osteonectin was purified from the supernatant of thrombin-activated platelets by immunoaffinity chromatography. Western blotting of proteins secreted by washed, thrombin-stimulated platelets with IIIA3A8 indicated that the osteonectin molecule released from the platelet is a single chain polypeptide. Comparison of immunopurified platelet osteonectin with isolated bovine bone osteonectin and isolated human bone osteonectin by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that platelet osteonectin has a greater apparent molecular weight than bone osteonectin. The NH2-terminal sequence of immunopurified platelet osteonectin was obtained by automated Edman degradation and is identical to the sequence of human bone osteonectin derived from the cDNA of SaOS-2 cells. Collectively, these data suggest that platelet osteonectin is structurally distinct from bone osteonectin in a region of the molecule at a distance from the NH2-terminus.
Detection of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the peripheral blood by analysis of antigen receptor gene rearrangements: results of a prospective study
Authors: Horning SJ , Galili N , Cleary M , Sklar J
Published: October 2019

Analysis of immunoglobulin (Ig) and T-cell receptor gene rearrangements, using Southern blot hybridization, has been applied to peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) in 335 samples from patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The incidence of circulating lymphoma cells detected by gene rearrangement analyses is related to the histologic subtype, clinical stage of disease, and clinical status. Among 104 patients studied at diagnosis, the incidence of positive analyses was 34% in low-grade lymphoma and only 8% in intermediate-grade lymphoma. Clonal Ig gene rearrangements were detected nearly universally in the small lymphocytic histologic subtype. PBL studies were related to the initial stage of disease: positive studies were seen in 35% of patients with stage IV disease, 29% of patients with stage III disease, and 12% of patients with stages I-II disease. The incidence of PBL rearrangements at the time of disease recurrence in 32 patients requiring cytoreductive therapy was 48%, somewhat greater than at initial diagnosis. A group of patients with low-grade lymphoma, who had treatment deferred after diagnosis or recurrence, was also studied; the incidence of PBL rearrangements was 38% in this population. Among 157 patients clinically free of disease, DNA analyses of the PBL were positive in only 10%. Subsequent relapse of disease in 26 patients was antedated by PBL rearrangement in only one patient. Clonal rearrangements detected in 15 patients have been followed by recurrence of clinical disease in only one patient over a median of 24 months from the time of analysis. The lack of detectable rearrangements in the peripheral blood in the majority of patients may be due to methodology or the biology of the disease. These issues may be further addressed with alternative methods for assessment of minimal disease. However, rigorous testing of any new molecular tool requires an adequate patient population in which disease status is closely monitored over a sufficient period of time.