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J M Wurzel

Publications and source records attributed to J M Wurzel.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Immunocytochemical localization of the glycoprotein hormone alpha subunit in the median eminence of the mouse hypothalamus.

Immunoperoxidase staining was performed to localize glycoprotein hormone alpha subunit in mouse brain. Staining was found only in the median eminence with the use of ovine LH-alpha antiserum and was diffuse, not localized to fibers but to pericapillary areas. Absorption of the antiserum with bovine TSH-alpha subunit completely abolished the staining. These findings, in conjunction with our earlier studies in which alpha subunit messenger RNA was not detected in mouse brain, suggest that alpha subunit reaches the hypothalamus by retrograde diffusion from the pituitary.

Animals↗

The luteotropic activity of rat placenta is not due to a chorionic gonadotropin.

Placentae or uteri from pregnant rats (days 12-21) contained no detectable alpha-subunit of the glycoprotein hormones (CG, TSH, FSH, and LH) when assayed in either a rat or human alpha-RIA. The heads of rat fetuses contained increasing concentrations of alpha-subunit when assayed from days 12-20 of gestation (7.2-46 ng/g). Human term placenta contained large quantities of alpha-subunit (16,000 ng/g). alpha-Subunit was synthesized by the cell-free translation of poly(A)-enriched mRNA from mouse TSH-secreting pituitary tumor and human term placenta, but not from rat placentae or uterine implantation sites (days 11-21 of gestation). In addition, alpha mRNA was detected in mouse TSH-secreting pituitary tumor, rat pituitary, and human term placenta by hybridization to a 32P-labeled mouse alpha cDNA probe although no alpha mRNA could be detected in rat placentae (days 13-21 of gestation). The luteotropic activity found in pregnant rodents must be caused by a substance with a structure substantially distinct from any known gonadotropin.

Animals↗

A gene deletion is responsible for absence of human chorionic somatomammotropin.

We have examined the human growth hormone (hGH) and human chorionic somatomammotropin (hCS) family of genes in genomic DNA from an individual with complete antenatal deficiency of hCS. Following digestion with a variety of bacterial restriction endonucleases, the DNA from this individual produced fewer fragments with homology to a radiolabeled hCS cDNA probe than did control DNA specimens. The patterns indicated that his DNA contained the normal hGH gene and an "hGH-like" gene, but lacked the hCS gene, a variant hGH gene, and another gene or genes with structural homology to hGH and hCS, which were present in all control DNA specimens. The findings were consistent with homozygosity for a gene deletion with a minimum length of 18.5 kb. Analysis of polymorphic restriction site variation related to the hGH and hCS gene cluster indicated that both parents and three older siblings were heterozygous for the deletion. The association between gene deletion and a normal growth pattern in this individual indicates that hCS and any other peptide hormones encoded by the variant hGH and the other related gene(s) that are deleted in this individual are not required for fetal or extrauterine growth.

Adolescent↗

Structural analysis of rodent growth hormone genes: application to genetic forms of hypopituitarism.

Analysis of GH gene structure in the mouse permits evolutionary comparisons with GH gene structure in the rat and provides information about the mechanism responsible for heritable deficiencies of anterior pituitary hormones. The little mutation in mice is analogous to autosomal recessive, isolated, partial deficiency of GH in man, whereas the Snell dwarf mutation is a model for autosomal recessive deficiency of GH, TSH, and PRL. Mouse cellular DNA was digested with the restriction enzymes Eco RI, Bam HI, Bgl II, Hind III, and Kpn I, singly and in combination. Gene sequences containing coding information for GH were detected by hybridization to a radiolabeled recombinant DNA probe complementary to a rat GH mRNA. The results of genomic restriction analysis indicate that there is a single type of mouse GH gene sequence per haploid genome with a length equal to or less than 32000 base pairs. The distances separating 6-base restriction sites close to the mouse GH gene differ from those close to the rat GH gene. A Kpn I site in the codons for amino acids 103 and 104 of rat GH is absent in the mouse gene. Restriction patterns of DNA from little and Snell dwarf mice did not differ from those of normal mice, indicating that these mutations do not involve deletions of the mouse GH gene.

Animals↗

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the hypopharynx.

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma is most commonly found in the parotid gland. It rarely occurs in the larynx and hypopharynx. There are only 32 reported cases from these areas. A case of a mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the hypopharynx is presented. Although the initial impression was squamous cell carcinoma, glandular structures were found in metastatic lymph nodes in the neck specimen, and after mucicarmine stains were positive, the final diagnosis was changed to mucoepidermoid carcinoma. This case illustrates the difficulty in diagnosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma, especially in unexpected locations. Differentiating mucoepidermoid carcinoma from other neoplasms is important because treatment may differ depending on the diagnosis. The pathologic spectrum of mucoepidermoid carcinoma is presented, and the management of these tumors with respect to the histologic grade is discussed.

Carcinoma↗