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Biomedical subjects

A Astaldi

Publications and source records attributed to A Astaldi.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

Early events in thymocyte activation. II. Changes in nonhistone chromatin proteins induced by a thymus-dependent human serum factor.

Previously, it has been shown that a human thymus-dependent serum factor (SF), isolated from peripheral blood and acting on precursors of mature T lymphocytes, induces an increase in the synthesis of cyclic AMP and proteins in thymocytes. We have now investigated the action of SF on the incorporation of 3H-leucine and 32P-orthophosphate into nuclear proteins of thymocytes after 15 to 240 min of culture. SF induced a rapid increase in the synthesis and phosphorylation of nuclear proteins, especially in the phosphorylated nonhistone chromatin proteins (P-NHCP). Electrophoretic patterns in polyacrylamide gels of the P-NHCP fractions, extracted from the chromatin of the stimulated cells, showed that proteins with m.w. higher than 50 x 10(3) were synthesized to a larger extent as compared with unstimulated cells. These data suggest that SF acts specifically on the synthesis of P-NHCP and may in this way control DNA-template activity.

Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone

Lymphoid cell surface markers in acute lymphocytic leukaemia.

Peripheral blood lymphoid cells of 29 patients with acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL) at onset were studied for characterization of B and T membrane markers and phytohaemagglutinin responsiveness. 24 cases (83%) were classified as "null" cell ALL and 5 (17%) as T-cell ALL. No relationship could be found between cytological presentation and immunological classification. Moreover, no correlation has been demonstrated between clinical-immunological parameters and prognosis, indicating that in our series of patients, assessment of cell size and surface markers were not a reliable predictor of prognosis.

Antineoplastic Agents

Experiences with thymosin in primary immunodeficiency disease.

Thymosin has no effect in vitro on cyclic AMP levels in thymocytes. However, when thymosin was injected into patients lacking "serum factor" (SF) activity, it induced the appearance of SF or SF-like activity and the disappearance of target cells for SF among the peripheral blood lymphocytes of the treated patients. On the other hand, when thymosin was injected into one patient with normal SF activity, it induced a marked decrease of SF activity and the appearance of target cells for SF among the peripheral blood lymphocytes of this particular patient.

Animals

Effect of a human serum thymic factor on hydrocortisone-treated thymocytes.

A human serum thymic factors (SF) stimulated cyclic adenosine-3' ,5'-monophosphate (cAMP) synthesis in normal mouse thymocytes. Such stimulation was no longer observed when thymocytes were depleted of hydrocortisone (HC)-sensitive cells. It was concluded that SF selectively stimulate cAMP in HC-sensitive cells. Furthermore, incubation of thymocytes with SF enlarged the population of HC-resistant thymocytes. These results suggest that SF might act on HC-sensitive thymocytes increasing their cellular cAMP level and inducing their transformation in HC-resistant cells.

Animals

Thymosin-induced human serum factor increasing cyclic AMP.

Thymosin has virtually no in vitro effect on cyclic AMP levels in thymocytes and seems not to react with either the beta-adrenergic receptor or with the putative human serum thymic factor (SF) receptor. However, when thymosin is injected into patients lacking SF activity, it induces the appearance of a serum factor which increases cellular cyclic AMP levels in thymocytes in vitro. This factor appears to act on a membrane site distinct from the beta-adrenergic receptors.

Animals