[Blood system reaction and hematological indices in patients with traumatic spleen injury].

The study involved 183 patients, whom open splenectomy was performed on the traumatic splenic injury. According to haemograms date, were calculated 19 haematological indices and among them detected indices which the most precisely describe reaction of blood system in post-operative period. Also were revealed indices which correlate in post-operative period with values of delay between admission to a hospital and starting the operation. Monitoring of selected haematological indices will help to accurately assess of blood system reaction in patients with traumatic splenic injury in post-operative period.

[Biofunctional symmetry of individual values of clinic-laboratory indices in patients, suffering severe forms of an acute pancreatitis].

Individual values of clinic-laboratory indices were analyzed in 125 patients, suffering severe forms of an acute pancreatitis (AP). In the early postoperative period there were analyzed 65 indices: clinical analysis of the blood, 24 hematological indices, biochemical analysis of the blood, coagulogram, estimates according to the ASSES, APACHE II, SAPS, SAPS II, SAPS III scales. There was established, that in 83.1% of patients in severe forms of an AP the ratio or the values difference of clinic-laboratory indices in dynamics of postoperative period are depicted according to the "Golden section" rule with deviation no more than 10-15%. In the patients, suffering sterile pancreonecrosis, in comparison with those, suffering infected pancreonecrosis and in the patients with infected pancreonecrosis without retroperitoneal space cellular tissue affection in comparison with patients, suffering infected pancreonecrosis and the retroperitoneal space cellular tissue affection there were more signs, the values ratio or difference of which have deviated from the "Golden section" rule no more than by 5%. While estimating the patients state severity in those, suffering severe forms of AP, using special scales, most precisely the coincidence with a "Golden section" rule was noted, according to scales ASSES and SAPS III. Prognostically unfavorable was a progressive increase of the points sum according to ASSES scale in dynamics of postoperative period.

[Individualized prognosis of the infectious acute pancreatitis].

The results of treatment of 125 patients, suffering severe forms of an acute pancreatitis (AP) are analyzed. Basing on the patients complex examination data, using the method of logistic regression, a mathematic model of individualized prognosis of the AP infected form presence after their admittance to hospital, was elaborated.

Gangliosides expressed in human breast cancer.

Breast tumors that were histopathologically diagnosed as invasive ductal carcinoma were examined in relation to their abnormal expression of gangliosides. Total ganglioside levels that were expressed as lipid-bound sialic acids were significantly higher in breast tumor tissues than in normal mammary tissues. Two kinds of unusual gangliosides were found to be expressed in many cases of breast tumors. One was a group of O-acetylated gangliosides, such as O-acetyl-GD3 and O-acetyl-GT3. They are known as fetal gangliosides, which appear in fetal brains. The other was an N-glycolylneuraminic acid-containing ganglioside, N-glycolyl-GM3, which had not been previously found in normal human tissues. The finding that unusual gangliosides are expressed in breast tumors may provide the basis for their immunological diagnosis and vaccine therapy.

A contribution of calmodulin to cellular deformability of calcium-loaded human erythrocytes.

The effect of intracellular calcium on the deformability of human erythrocytes was studied with a rheoscope, especially in relation to the dynamic structure of membrane cytoskeleton. The appropriate calcium-loading and calcium-depletion were performed to intact erythrocytes with A23187 in potassium buffer. The total calcium content was varied in the range of 0.25 to 3 times as much as normal content, without complete ATP depletion and shape change (the reduction of mean cell volume and the condensation of hemoglobin due to dehydration were avoided). Increasing the intracellular calcium content by about 1.5 times of normal, the deformability was distinctly decreased, while calcium depletion did not affect the deformability. Reduced deformability of the calcium-loaded erythrocytes was restored by the treatment with calmodulin inhibitors, W-7 or trifluoperazine. However, such an effect by calmodulin inhibitors was not detected on normal or calcium-depleted erythrocytes. In conclusion, the interaction between calcium-calmodulin complex and cytoskeletal proteins may affect the membrane stiffness which is regulated through the change of the cytoskeletal structure, and contributes to the deformability of erythrocytes.

A NeuGc-containing trisialoganglioside of bovine brain.

A N-glycolyneuraminic acid containing trisialoganglioside was isolated from bovine brains ganglioside mixture using Q-Sepharose. Its chemical structure was characterized as IV3NeuAc, II3NeuAc-NeuGc, Gg4Cer by gas-liquid chromatography, a permethylation study, sialidase degradation, TLC/enzyme-immunostaining, fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry, fluorometric HPLC and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. This was unique in the mixed sialic acid constituents. (formula; see text) This accounted for 0.78% of the gangliosides. The ceramide structure was almost identical with those of major bovine brain ganglioside, as mainly composed of 18:0 fatty acid (90.9%) and d20:0 sphingosine base.

The decreased membrane fluidity of in vivo aged, human erythrocytes. A spin label study.

The decreased membrane fluidity of the in vivo aged, human erythrocytes is found, by monitoring the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of fatty acid spin labels incorporated into the membrane. In addition, the decreased cell sizes and the decreased cholesterol and phospholipids contents, without significant changes of the quantity of the membrane proteins, also the decrease of ATP and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate and the increase of ADP and AMP, in the aged cells, were observed. Further the functional impairments of the aged cells, i.e. the increased oxygen affinity and the decreased deformability, were shown. On the basis of these quantitative data, the alteration of the protein-lipid organization, due to decreased lipid/protein ratio, the modified protein-lipid interaction and/or the influences of the diminished ATP content, is suggested to contribute towards the decreased membrane fluidity of the in vivo aged erythrocytes.

Cell age-dependent changes in deformability and calcium accumulation of human erythrocytes.

The deformability of human erythrocytes was measured in a rheoscope, as a function of intracellular calcium content (varied with ionophore (A23187) and CaCl2) without complete ATP depletion and echinocytic transformation. Loading calcium into intact erythrocytes (calcium content: 16.8 mumol/1 packed cells = 1.48 amol per cell), the cell volume and energy charge gradually decreased. Further, the membrane fluidity of the lipid portion decreased without crosslinking of membrane proteins. A distinct transition from deformable to undeformable cells was observed by the rheoscope technique: i.e., 50% transition occurred at 40-50 mumol calcium/1 packed cells (= 3.5-4.0 amol per cell) and more than 90% above 100 mumol/1 packed cells (= 6.5 amol per cell) at a shear stress of 140 dyn/cm2. The deformable cells maintained their deformability to ellipsoidal disks independent of the average calcium content. The underformable cells, separated as high-density cells by density gradient centrifugation after calcium-loading, showed lower glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity than low-density-deformable cells; thus, the calcium-loaded, undeformable cells were presumably in vivo aged cells. The younger cells, fractionated as low-density cells from intact erythrocytes, were more deformable than aged cells. Upon calcium-loading, the younger cells restored their cell volume and deformability, while the aged cells, containing originally more calcium and less ATP, decreased their volume and became undeformable. Therefore, calcium accumulation by ionophore-CaCl2 takes place in preference to aged cells of lower energy metabolism, and leads to cellular dehydration and loss of deformability, due to condensed hemoglobin and altered membrane organization.

Alteration of rheological properties of human erythrocytes by crosslinking of membrane proteins.

The crosslinking of membrane proteins of human erythrocytes by diamide (diazene dicarboxylic acid bis(N,N-dimethylamide) ) was quantified by 4% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate. The relation between the crosslinking of membrane proteins and erythrocyte functions (rheological and oxygen transporting) was quantitatively examined. (i) The crosslinking of membrane protein was induced by diamide, without changing the shape and the contents of intracellular organic phosphates (adenylates and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate). The intensity of spectrin 2 in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis decreased proportionally to diamide concentration. The percentage decrease in spectrin 2 (using band 3 as an internal standard) was the most appropriate indicator for crosslinking ("% crosslinking'). (ii) The suspension viscosity of erythrocytes increased in proportion to the percentage of crosslinking, in the range of applied shear rates of 3.76-752 s-1. (iii) Erythrocyte deformability (measured by a high-shear rheoscope) was reduced by the crosslinking. The change was detectable even at 5% crosslinking. (iv) Rouleaux formation (measured by a television image analyzer combined with a low-shear rheoscope) was inhibited by the crosslinking. The inhibition was also sensitively detected at more than 5% crosslinking. (v) Hemoglobin in erythrocytes was chemically modified by higher dose of diamide (probably by the binding of diamide with sulfhydryl groups). Also the oxygen affinity of hemoglobin increased and the heme-heme interaction decreased. (vi) The reduction of the crosslinking of membrane proteins by dithiothreitol apparently reversed the intensity of spectrin bands in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the erythrocyte functions (the suspension viscosity and the deformability), though not completely.

Isolation and characterization of novel neutral glycolipids from Thermoplasma acidophilum.

Several novel neutral glycolipids (GL-1a, GL-1b, GL-2a, GL-2b and GL-2c) were isolated from Thermoplasma acidophilum by high-performance liquid chromatography using phenylboronic acid-silica and preparative thin-layer chromatography. The tentative structures of these lipids were characterized by the combination of gas-liquid chromatography, the methylation procedure, and (1)H-NMR and FAB-mass spectrometries. The lipophilic portion of the neutral glycolipids was composed of a simple molecular species named caldarchaeol (dibiphytanyl-diglycerol tetraether). The sugar moieties of these glycolipids were composed of gulose and glucose which formed monosaccharide residues on one side or both sides of the core lipids. Gulose was attached to the terminal glycerol OH group of the core lipid with a beta-configuration and glucose being attached with an alpha-configuration. The proposed structure of GL-1a was gulosylcaldarchaeol and that of GL-1b was glucosylcaldarchaeol. The structures of GL-2a, GL-2b, and GL-2c were the analogs of the caldarchaeol derivatives attached by a variety of gulosyl residues or glucosyl residues on both sides of the terminal OH groups.

In vitro cytotoxic effects of fludarabine (2-F-ara-A) in combination with commonly used antileukemic agents by isobologram analysis.

Fludarabine phosphate (2-F-ara-AMP) is an adenine nucleoside analogue that shows significant activity against chronic lymphocytic leukemia and indolent lymphoma. We assessed the cytotoxic interaction produced by the combination of the active metabolite of fludarabine phosphate, fludarabine (9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl-2-fluoroadenine, 2-F-ara-A), and some commonly used antileukemic agents against human hairy cell leukemia cell line JOK-1, human chronic lymphocytic leukemia cell line SKW-3, and adult T cell leukemia cell lines ED-40810 (-) and SALT-3. The leukemia cells were exposed simultaneously to 2-F-ara-A and to the other agents for 4 days. Cell growth inhibition was determined using MTT reduction assay. The isobologram method of Steel and Peckham was used to evaluate the cytotoxic interaction. 2-F-ara-A and cytarabine showed synergistic effects in SKW-3 cells, additive and synergistic effects in JOK-1 and SALT-3 cells, and additive effects in ED-40810(-) cells. 2-F-ara-A and doxorubicin showed additive effects in SKW-3, ED-40810(-) and SALT-3 cell lines, and additive and synergistic effects in JOK-1 cells. 2-F-ara-A showed additive effects with etoposide, 4-hydroperoxy-cyclophosphamide, and hydroxyurea in all four cell lines. 2-F-ara-A showed antagonistic effects with methotrexate and vincristine in all four cell lines. Our findings suggest that the simultaneous administration of fludarabine phosphate with cytarabine, doxorubicin, etoposide, cyclophosphamide, or hydroxyurea would be advantageous for cytotoxic effects. Among these agents, cytarabine may be the best agent for the combination with fludarabine phosphate. The simultaneous administration of fludarabine phosphate with methotrexate or vincristine would have little cytotoxic effect, and this combination may be inappropriate. These findings may be useful in clinical trials of combination chemotherapy with fludarabine phosphate and these agents.

Erythrocyte rheology.

Two main subjects of erythrocyte rheology, deformation and aggregation, are discussed in detail, on the basis of biochemical structure. The close relationship between the life span (or cell aging) and the rheology of individual erythrocytes is also briefly described. A currently important problem is emphasized, that is, the molecular aspect of the dynamic cytoskeletal structure and the mechanism of its regulation. This concerns not only the rheological function and the survival of circulating erythrocytes, but also the pathophysiology of abnormal erythrocytes.

A novel ganglioside, 9-O-acetyl GD1b, is recognized by serum antibodies in Guillain-Barré syndrome.

A hitherto undescribed ganglioside was detected in a crude ganglioside fraction of bovine brain using an IgM M-protein binding to Gal beta 1, 3GalNAc residue. We purified and identified it as 9-O-acetyl GD1b based on results of alkali treatment that yielded GD1b and results of fast atom bombardment-mass and gas chromatography-mass spectrometries. 9-O-acetyl GD1b was also found to be present in human peripheral nerve tissue. The reactivities of the serum antibodies from patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome to 9-O-acetyl GD1b, GD1b, and GM1 were determined by ELISA and TLC immunostaining. Nineteen of 85 serum samples from Guillain-Barré syndrome patients had antibodies that bound to 9-O-acetyl GD1b: 14 of the positive samples also reacted with GM1 and GD1b, three reacted with GM1 but not with GD1b, one with GD1b but not with GM1, and one with neither GM1 nor GD1b. These results show that a subset of patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome had antibodies that react with 9-O-acetyl GD1b; therefore, this ganglioside can serve as a target antigen against the antibodies present in Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Increase of ATP level in human erythrocytes induced by S-adenosyl-L-methionine.

The effect of S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) on the ATP level, the morphology and the deformability of human erythrocytes was investigated and compared with that of adenosine. (i) Upon incubation with SAM, the ATP level increased considerably in fresh cells (in both young and old cells in similar extent) and in stored (partially ATP-depleted) cells. But the incubation with adenosine increased ATP level to a lesser extent. (ii) The incubation of stored cells with SAM hardly affected (or rather decreased) the IMP level, while that with adenosine remarkably increased IMP (and ITP). (iii) The morphology and the deformability of stored erythrocytes were well conserved in spite of the treatment with SAM, as compared with the treatment with adenosine. The echinocytic transformation was induced in old cells to some extent by SAM, while did not in young cells.

A kinetic study on functional impairment of nitric oxide-exposed rat erythrocytes.

In acute in vivo exposure of rats to 25 to 250 ppm nitric oxide (NO) by use of a small exposure chamber for a single rat, the kinetic parameters of nitrosylhemoglobin (Hb-NO) and methemoglobin (MetHb) formation were estimated (with the aid of computer simulation) on the basis of experimental data. The biochemical and rheological injuries of erythrocytes were also examined. The time course of Hb-NO and MetHb formation in blood was compared with that simulated by a simplified kinetic model. The rate of MetHb formation from Hb-NO was much faster than MetHb reduction to ferrous form and dissociation of Hb-NO; thus, MetHb content was always greater than Hb-NO content. The activity of MetHb reduction decreased on exposure to a high concentration of NO, but the activity was recovered when rats were placed in clean air. Rheologically, the blood viscosity was scarcely altered, but a few undeformed cells were detected at high shear stress. Morphologically, echinocytic transformation was observed to some extent. Biochemically, the crosslinking of membrane proteins and the alteration of acyl chain composition of membrane phospholipids were not detected in the in vivo exposure, though the in vitro exposure of rat erythrocytes to high concentrations of NO revealed remarkable oxidative crosslinking among membrane proteins and hemoglobin. In conclusion, both for persistent methemoglobinemia and for membrane damage, the maintenance of reductive activity in erythrocytes is the most important determinant factor for the protection of NO-induced oxidative injury.

Mechanisms responsible for resistance of sublines derived from leukemia cell lines to an antitumor agent 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl-2-fluoroadenine.

An agent 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl-2-fluoroadenine (2-F-Ara-A) is a main metabolite of fludarabine, a fluorinated purine analogue with antitumor activity in lymphoproliferative malignancies. In this study, the mechanism responsible for the resistance of cancer cells to fludarabine was examined using the 2-F-Ara-A-resistant sublines JOK-1/F-Ara-A and L1210/F-Ara-A from a human hairy leukemic cell line (JOK-1) and a mouse leukemic cell line (L1210) respectively, which were established by continuous treatment of the parental cell lines with 2-F-AraA. JOK-1/F-Ara-A and L1210/F-Ara-A cells were more than 55 and 29 times more resistant to 2-F-Ara-A than were their parent cell lines, and showed a high cross-resistance to 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine but not to doxorubicin or vincristine. These resistant sublines intracellularly accumulated almost the same amount of 2-F-Ara-A as did their parent cell lines. However, the amount of 2-F-Ara-ATP, a cytotoxic metabolite of 2-F-Ara-A, decreased by 2.6% (JOK-1/F-Ara-A C3), 6% (L1210/F-Ara-A C1) and 3.7% (L1210/F-Ara-A C7) relative to the levels in the parent cell lines. Enzymatically, these resistant cells hardly activated deoxycytidine (dCyd) and 2-F-Ara-A. In addition, the abilities to phosphorylate deoxyadenosine and deoxyguanosine were also decreased in the resistant cells in comparison with the parent cells. These findings suggest that the deficiency in activity of dCyd kinase may contribute to the resistance of 2-F-Ara-A.

A new O-acetylated trisialoganglioside, 9-O-acetyl GT2, in cod brain.

An O-acetylated trisialoganglioside that is converted to GT2 on mild base treatment was found in cod brain. This alkali-labile ganglioside was isolated using high-performance liquid chromatography, and its chemical structure was characterized. This novel ganglioside was identified as a GT2 derivative having an acetyl group at the C-9 position of the external sialic acid. Its chemical structure is as follows.

Chemical ionization and electron impact mass spectra of oligosaccharides derived from sphingoglycolipids.

Chemical ionization (CI) mass spectra with isobutane and ammonia for the oligosaccharides obtained from sphingoglycolipids were compared with their electron impact (EI) mass spectra. The oligosaccahride moieties were liberated from the parent glycolipids and were further reduced with sodium borohydride. They were analyzed as their permethyl peracetyl and pertrimethylsilyl derivatives. In the CI spectra, peaks corresponding to QM+ and/or [M-59]+ were observed in all of the peracetylated oligosaccharides examined. In CI with ammonia as the reagent, H+ was transferred to nitrogen-containing saccharides to produce [MH]+ and NH4 was transferred to nitrogen-free saccharides to yield [M+NH4]+ as QM+. Non-reducing ends yielded very intense peaks in CI spectra. On the other hand, the reduced end, glucitol, produced rather prominent peaks in EI spectra. Fragment ions due to cleavage of glycosidic bonds were major ones under the CI conditions, and they could be used for elucidating the sugar sequence in the oligosaccharides. An additional characteristic feature in the CI spectra was that ions due to scission of hexosaminyl glycosidic linkages were observed with very high intensities.

Characterization of hyperlipidemia in Nagase analbuminemia rat (NAR).

The mutant analbuminemia rat (NAR) was recently reported by Nagase (1) to spontaneously develop hypercholesterolemia. A detailed lipid analysis was carried out to characterize the hyperlipidemia. The concentrations of major phospholipids as well as cholesterol were increased in plasma, whereas the triacylglycerol level remained unchanged. Free fatty acid and lysophosphatidylcholine levels, on the contrary, declined. The liver lipids were not accumulated, but appeared to be depleted.