Biochemical characterization of hyaluronic acid from a case of benign, localized, pleural mesothelioma.

The tissue of a benign, localized, pleural mesothelioma was digested with protease, and the crude polysaccharide was fractionated by a column of Dowex-1 (Cl-form). The eluate from the column was electrophoresed and incubated with various mucopolysaccharide lysases. Based on the results of column chromatography, electrophoresis, and enzymatic digestion, it was found that hyaluronic acid was the major constituent of the glycosaminoglycans in pleural mesothelioma. The hyaluronic acid from pleural mesothelioma seemed to be identical in structure with that from human umbilical cord; however, the hyaluronic acid from mesothelioma was eluted before that from human umbilical cord when fractionated by the column of Sepharose 4B, suggesting a differnence in molecular size between the two. Also, evidence was obtained for the presence of dermatan sulfate and heparan sulfate.

On acid glycosaminoglycans (mucopolysaccharides) in pleural effusion.

The concentration of acid glycosaminoglycans (mucopolysaccharides) in pleural fluid was found to be in the range of 4.0 to 60.3 mug per ml. By chromatographic analysis and by electrophoresis of the eluates, in combination with enzymatic digestion, it was found that pleural fluid contained protein-free hyaluronic acid, protein-bound hyaluronic acid, undersulfated chondroitin sulfate A(C), chondroitin sulfate A(C), protein-bound chondroitin sulfate A(C), and dermatan sulfate. The composition of acid glycosaminoglycans in pleural fluid seems to reflect the metabolism of the pleural cavity.

Chemical and biological properties of hot water extract from delipidated cells of Mycobacterium bovis strain BCG.

A water-soluble fraction was isolated from delipidated cells of Mycobacterium bovis strain BCG by extraction with hot water. Chemical analyses revealed that the above fraction presumably consisted of a peptidoglycan containing 5-10% of nucleic acids. When it was injected into guinea pigs with Freund's incomplete adjuvant plus egg white albumin as antigen, an increase of circulating antibody was observed as shown by the augmented titers of precipitin and hemagglutinin. The results of skin test and corneal reaction indicated that the fraction mentioned above induced delayed hypersensitivity to egg white albumin. Footpad reaction in mice demonstrated that the above fraction induced delayed hypersensitivity to sheep red blood cells. It was confirmed in addition that the adjuvant activity of this fraction was not due to the presence of nucleic acids. This adjuvant-active fraction was designated as HSA (hot-water soluble adjuvant.

Antitumor activity of hot-water extract from delipidated BCG.

The antitumor activity of hot-water extract of delipidated BCG was investigated in mice inoculated with Sarcoma-180 cells and Ehrlich carcinoma cells, respectively. The hot-water extract was found to be effective when administered after and ineffective when administered before the inoculation of tumor cells. When this extract was given with anticancer drugs, such as Mitomycin C and cyclophosphamide, a combined effect was obtained in the treatment of Sarcoma-180 and of Ehrlich carcinoma.

[On glycosaminoglycans (mucopolysaccharide) in a case of pulmonary fibrosis (author's transl)]. / Uber Glykosaminoglykane (Mukopolysaccharide) in einem Fall von Lungenfibrose

Glycosaminoglycans from a case of pulmonary fibrosis (desquamative interstitial pneumonia of usual type) was analyzed by means of proteolytic digestion, solvent fractionation, column chromatography on anion exchanger, electrophoresis and enzymatic digestion. The result suggested an increase in dermatan sulfate and possibly of heparan sulfate in the fibrotic lung as compared with the normal. It is preferable to take the samples for analysis from a freshly excised specimen of the lung, because there was a sign of degradation of glycosaminoglycan due to storage of the specimen in a solution of formalin.

Increase of dermatan sulfate in a case of pulmonary fibrosis.

The quantity and composition of acid glycosaminoglycans (mucopolysaccharides) were compared between a fibrotic lung and normal lungs. The acid glycosaminoglycans were isolated by proteolysis, fractionation with ethanol and precipitation with cetylpyridinium chloride, and were identified by chromatography, electrophoresis and incubation with mucopolysaccharide-lyases. Evidence was obtained for the presence of hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate A(C), dermatan sulfate and heparan sulfate. Quantitation of individual glycosaminoglycans by using specific mucopolysaccharide-lyases revealed that the quantity of dermatan sulfate in the fibrotic lung exceeded that in the normal lungs.

Lipid composition of adipose tissue from "membranous lipodystrophy".

The lipid composition of the adipose tissue from the bone marrow and that of the subcutaneous depot fat of four patients of membranous lipodystrophy were investigated. It was found that the lipid composition of the samples from the cases of membranous lipodystrophy was almost similar to that in controls. Also discussions were made on mechanism related to the accumulation of abnormal depot fat.

A biological study on hot-water extract from delipidated Mycobacterium bovis strain BCG.

The biological activity of a hot-water extract from delipidated BCG, designated as HSA (Hot-water Soluble Adjuvant), was investigated. The HSA did not induce hyperreactivity to bacterial endotoxin. The hot-water extract from which nucleic acids had been removed by streptomycin (SM-HSA) was found to enhance the delayed-type hypersensitivity as evidenced by the results of footpad reaction of mice. The HSA and SM-HSA could be injected to mice by an intraperitoneal route for 20 consecutive days without undesirable side effects. A comparative study was made on the effects of HSA in relation to the duration and doses of treatment with HSA using the ddI mice inoculated with Sarcoma-180. The most remarkable effect was observed when 0.25 mg of HSA had been injected for 20 consecutive days. Also SM-HSA was found to exert antitumor activity when applied in the same manner as above. These results suggest that the presence of nucleic acids is not related to the biological and antitumor activities of the hot-water extract.

Experimental pulmonary emphysema in Syrian hamsters.

Syrian hamsters were exposed to the aerosol of a 5% solution of papain in the presence of cysteine and ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid. Pulmonary emphysema in hamsters was observed after exposure to papain for two to three hours. There was no change with time in the severity of emphysema from the second through the fourth weeks after exposure to papain. Pathogenesis of pulmonary emphysema was discussed in relation to proteolysis of glycosaminoglycan-protein complex.