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Biomedical subjects

C R King

Publications and source records attributed to C R King.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Calling Jane: the life and death of a women's illegal abortion service.

In May, 1972, seven Chicago women were arrested and charged with performing illegal abortions. Over the course of the preceding five years, the members of Jane, as this illegal abortion collective was denoted, had arranged, assisted and performed nearly 15,000 illegal abortions. The very fact that Jane existed as long as it did and assisted as many women as it did, was evidence of the central role that abortion and other reproductive decisions play in women's daily lives. Jane began amid the political and social discontent of the late 1960s. Like the Chicago Women's Liberation Union, Jane was founded by women helping other women. This action was, in effect, a continuation of the centuries old women's health network. Records of the Chicago Women's Liberation Union, words and deeds of the city's feminists and interviews with members of Jane, permit a consideration of important medical, philosophical and historical issues that surround the turbulent issue of abortion. In this setting the boundaries between and definitions of lay and medical practitioners become indistinct, the differences between women-centered and physician-centered medical care become more obvious, and at the very least Jane provides evidence of a model system by which women a generation ago successfully confronted restrictive abortion practices.

Abortion, Illegal↗
PubMed1992

Recombinant anti-erbB2 immunotoxins containing Pseudomonas exotoxin.

Immunotoxins were made using five different murine monoclonal antibodies to the human erbB2 gene product and LysPE40, a 40-kDa recombinant form of Pseudomonas exotoxin (PE) lacking its cell-binding domain. All five conjugates were specifically cytotoxic to cancer cell lines overexpressing erbB2 protein. The most active conjugate was e23-LysPE40, generated by chemical crosslinking of anti-erbB2 monoclonal antibody e23 to LysPE40. In addition, a recombinant immunotoxin, e23(Fv)PE40, was constructed that consists of the light-chain variable domain of e23 connected through a peptide linker to its heavy-chain variable domain, which in turn is fused to PE40. The recombinant protein was made in Escherichia coli, purified to near homogeneity, and shown to selectively kill cells expressing the erbB2 protooncogene. To improve the cytotoxic activity of e23(Fv)PE40, PE40 was replaced with a variant, PE38KDEL, in which the carboxyl end of PE is changed from Arg-Glu-Asp-Leu-Lys to Lys-Asp-Glu-Leu and amino acids 365-380 of PE are deleted. The e23(Fv)PE38KDEL protein inhibits the growth of tumors formed by the human gastric cancer cell line N87 in immunodeficient mice.

ADP Ribose Transferases↗
PubMed1992

Therapy of an animal model of human gastric cancer using a combination of anti-erbB-2 monoclonal antibodies.

Amplification and/or overexpression of the erbB-2 gene have been demonstrated in 20-30% of adenocarcinomas of the breast, ovary, lung, and stomach and are associated with aggressive clinical course and poor prognosis. Interference with erbB-2 function by the use of monoclonal antibodies is a promising approach to the treatment of these diseases. In this study we demonstrate that a combination of two anti-erbB-2-specific antibodies inhibited the growth of human gastric tumor cells in vitro. This combination antibody therapy also inhibited the growth of human tumor cell lines growing as xenografts in nude mice and was able to dramatically reduce established tumors. This is the first reported observation of tumor regression induced by anti-erbB-2 monoclonal antibodies. Treatment was not curative in that tumors regrew after 6 weeks. Treatment with either single antibody alone did not inhibit cell growth or tumor formation. Pulse chase and tyrosine kinase activity experiments were used to investigate the activity of the erbB-2 gene product (gp185erbB-2). The formation of complexes by two antibodies was found to interfere with receptor function and mimic some properties of a typical receptor ligand. Selective interference of the erbB-2 receptor by combination antibody therapy may be advantageous for the treatment of human cancers.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1992

Determination of concentrations of adenosine and other purines in human term placenta by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode-array detection: evidence for pathways of purine metabolism in the placenta.

A robust analytical method, using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with gradient elution and photodiode-array detection, was used to measure six purines and beta-NAD+ in acid-soluble extracts of samples taken from six different regions of human term placenta. Resolution of the analyte peaks in chromatographic profiles of the extracts, and the use of optimized integration, allowed simultaneous quantitation of all seven analytes from a single chromatogram. Peak purity was confirmed via on-line analysis of peak spectra, utilizing the purity parameter treatment of spectral data. Major placental purines were adenosine, inosine, hypoxanthine and adenine. Except for adenine, concentrations of the purines varied by two-fold or more between different regions of each placenta, but concentration ratios, i.e., adenosine/inosine and inosine/hypoxanthine, were similar. The findings indicate that the pathway of ATP breakdown to hypoxanthine in ischemic human term placenta is via adenosine, and that regional differences in placental concentrations of adenosine and its metabolites may result from regional differences in degree of ischemia.

Adenosine↗
PubMed1992

Development of a shielded 241Am applicator for continuous low dose rate irradiation of rat rectum.

This paper describes the development of sources, applicators, and techniques that can be used to irradiate rat rectums with continuous irradiation at dose rates of interest in brachytherapy, either with the full circumference of the rectum irradiated, or with half of the circumference shielded from the radiation. The system uses encapsulated 241Am sources, to irradiate rat rectum with 60 keV photons continuously at a dose rate of up to 50 cGy/hr. Details of the design and fabrication of the 241Am sources, the rectal applicator, the dosimetry of the system, and the protocols for preparing and irradiating the rats, and for detecting early rectal injury using histological examination of irradiated rectum are presented. Highly effective shielding (attenuation factors as low as 0.04) of half of the circumference of the rat rectum was achievable. Unidirectional 241Am irradiators for intracavitary brachytherapy offer a unique tool for examining the effects of shielding a portion of the circumference of the rat rectum, on the radiation tolerance of the rectum.

Americium↗
PubMed1992

The ideological and technological shaping of motherhood.

Women's medical care, especially the care of birthing women, is increasingly based on technological innovations. While the use of electronic fetal monitoring, in vitro fertilization and cesarean section have benefited some women, the expanding use of medical technology distances women and their physicians. The problem is compounded because the application of medical technology is often clouded by a gender based ideology that defines women as mere reproductive beings. Forgotten is the recognition that the "facts" and interpretations generated by medical advance are subject to the same ideological bias as traditional beliefs and understandings about women. Forgotten is the women, the person, in the body. By seeing, hearing, touching and talking with women, physicians, not technological feats, provide a foundation for women's health based on the mutual interaction, understanding and respect between women and their physicians.

Female↗
PubMed1992

Acute renal failure in bone marrow transplantation.

Acute renal failure (ARF) is a serious complication in clients who have undergone bone marrow transplantation (BMT). The majority of cases develop as a result of intrarenal damage. Renal ischemia or nephrotoxic drugs, free hemoglobin, and free myoglobin contribute to acute tubular necrosis (ATN), which is the most likely cause of ARF in BMT clients. Nursing care of hospitalized BMT clients is directed toward the prevention of ARF by identifying clients who are at risk, the early diagnosis of renal impairment, and the administration of comprehensive treatment. Nurses play a vital role in the early diagnosis of renal impairment by assessing the client's fluid status, serum and urine electrolyte levels, and daily weights. The nursing role in managing clients with ARF includes preventing drug nephrotoxicity, maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance, preventing infection, and providing emotional support.

Acute Kidney Injury↗
PubMed1991

Reduced tumor incidence, metastatic potential, and cytokine responsiveness of nm23-transfected melanoma cells.

Reduced expression of the nm23 gene in certain rodent model systems and human breast tumors has been correlated with high tumor metastatic potential. To investigate the functional effects of nm23 expression, we have transfected a constitutive murine nm23-1 expression construct into highly metastatic K-1735 TK murine melanoma cells. TK clones expressing the exogenous nm23-1 construct exhibited a reduced incidence of primary tumor formation, significant reductions in tumor metastatic potential independent of tumor cell growth, and altered responses to the cytokine transforming growth factor beta 1 in soft agar colonization assays, compared with control-transfected TK clones. In contrast, nm23-1-transfected TK clones exhibited no significant differences in intrinsic tumor cell growth, i.e., primary tumor size in vivo, anchorage-dependent growth rate in vitro, and anchorage-independent colony formation in soft agar in vitro. The data demonstrate a suppressive effect of nm23 on several aspects of the cancer process, including tumor metastasis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Identification of a second human nm23 gene, nm23-H2.

Reduced RNA and/or protein levels corresponding to the murine nm23-1 and human nm23-H1 complementary DNA clones have been correlated with high tumor metastatic potential in several rodent model systems and human breast carcinomas. We report the identification of a second human nm23 gene, designated nm23-H2. The pNM23-H2S complementary DNA clone predicted a Mr 17,000 protein 88% identical to nm23-H1. nm23-H2 also shared a significant homology with nucleoside diphosphate kinases and a Drosophila developmental gene. Southern blots containing BglII-restricted genomic DNA, which exhibited an allelic restriction fragment length polymorphism for nm23-H1, contained nonallelic bands upon rehybridization to the nm23-H2 probe. Thus, nm23-H1 and nm23-H2 are distinct genes. Northern blot hybridization of nm23-H1- and nm23-H2-specific probes to breast tumors and cell lines indicated that nm23-H1 expression was reduced in high metastatic potential tumor cells to a greater extent than nm23-H2. The data indicate the existence of a family of independently regulated nm23 genes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Detection of class I MHC mRNA in subpopulations of first trimester cytotrophoblast cells by in situ hybridization.

Class I MHC mRNA has been identified in both villous and extravillous cytotrophoblast cells in first trimester placentas by in situ hybridization. In this report, we expand those observations to additional morphologically and anatomically distinct subpopulations of trophoblast cells in early placentas using the same experimental approach. In the transition zone of first trimester placental villi, where cytotrophoblast cells are proliferating to form new villi or to migrate into adjacent tissue, both cytotrophoblast cells beneath the uninterrupted syncytium and the proliferating cytotrophoblast cells contained class I mRNA whereas a layer of cytotrophoblast cells proximal to the villus core did not contain class I mRNA. In the placental bed, migrating cytotrophoblast cells contained high levels of class I mRNA as determined by the intensity of staining. In contrast, multinucleated giant trophoblast cells contained little specific message. Alterations in levels of class I mRNA seem therefore to be associated with trophoblast proliferation, migration and differentiation.

Female↗
PubMed1991

Low nm23 protein expression in infiltrating ductal breast carcinomas correlates with reduced patient survival.

Protein levels corresponding to nm23 were determined in normal and neoplastic breast tissues by immunoperoxidase staining. Nm23 protein levels were highest in normal breast epithelium, and lower in intraductal carcinomas. Based on nm23 staining, 39 infiltrating ductal carcinomas were separated into two groups: tumors with homogeneously high nm23 protein content, and tumors with low staining in either a homogeneous or heterogeneous pattern. Patients with low nm23 staining tumors, determined by three pathologists independently, had reduced survival times (alpha = 0.034, alpha = 0.012, alpha = 0.052 by the log rank test). Nm23 expression approached significance as an independent predictor of survival in Cox's proportional hazards model. The data provide the first correlation of low nm23 protein expression and reduced breast carcinoma patient survival.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1990

Immunohistochemical expression of c-erbB-2 in human breast cancer by monoclonal antibody: correlation with lymph node and ER status.

c-erbB-2 Protein expression was investigated in a series of fifty primary breast cancers by means of a specific monoclonal antibody and immunocytochemistry. Specific staining was observed at the plasma membrane level of neoplastic cells, according to the reported localization of c-erbB-2 protein. Sixty-four percent of tumors scored positive, with a variable amount of stained cells. The rate of protein expression was found to exceed the reported gene amplification. No relationship was observed between c-erbB-2 protein staining and age, menopausal status or histologic subtypes. An inverse association was found between c'erbB-2 protein staining and estrogen receptor content of tumors, assayed by immunocytochemistry. A positive relationship was observed between c-erbB-2 protein expression and presence of axillary node metastasis. These findings suggest that c-erbB-2 protein expression is a marker of tumor aggressiveness and that its prognostic power deserves further investigation both in node-positive and node-negative patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Differentiation of cultured human breast cancer cells (AU-565 and MCF-7) associated with loss of cell surface HER-2/neu antigen.

The relationship between terminal cell differentiation and changes in the subcellular levels of the HER-2/neu antigen was investigated in cultured human breast cancer cells: AU-565 cells (which overexpress the HER-2/neu gene) and MCF-7 cells (which do not overexpress this gene). Differentiation was achieved by treating the cells with mycophenolic acid (MPA), phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), retinoic acid (RA), or the TA-1 monoclonal antibody to the extracellular domain of the HER-2/neu protein. Ten to twenty percent of the cells in untreated, sparsely growing AU-565 cultures exhibited morphological maturation characterized by large lacy nuclei surrounded by sizable flat cytoplasms. A fraction of these cells harbored milk factors such as casein and large lipid droplets. Treatment of the AU-565 cells for 4 d with 9 microM MPA, 1.6 nM PMA, 2.5 microM RA, or 1 microgram/mL TA-1 antibody resulted in cell growth inhibition and an increase in the percentage of cells (48-97%) that exhibit a mature phenotype. MCF-7 cells were also susceptible to differentiation by MPA and RA, but to a lesser degree than the AU-565 cells. Differentiation in the AU-565 and MCF-7 cells was associated with reduced immunostaining for the HER-2/neu protein at the cell surface membrane and with a transient increased diffuse immunostaining for this protein in the cytoplasm.

Blotting, Southern↗