PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

K J Trainor

Publications and source records attributed to K J Trainor.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Lack of an effect of vitamin E on lifespan of mice.

It has been speculated that ageing results from accumulation of damage to macromolecules, particularly DNA, owing to the action of oxidising free radicals. This possibility would predict that administration of anti-oxidants might prolong lifespan, but previous data on this prediction are conflicting. Three groups of mice were exposed throughout life, from the time of conception until death, to 20, 40 and 400 mg/kg of vitamin E in the diet. No effect on lifespan was observed and the median lifespans in the three groups were 804, 830 and 801 days, respectively. The design of the study also enabled an effect of parental age on lifespan of female progeny to be sought, but no effect was detected.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Rapid detection of the factor V Leiden (1691 G > A) and haemochromatosis (845 G > A) mutation by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and real time PCR.

A rapid method based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to identify the haemochromatosis genotype in 112 individuals and the factor V genotype in 134 individuals. The results were compared with conventional methods based on restriction enzyme digestion of PCR products. The two methods agreed in 244 of the 246 individuals; for the other two individuals, sequencing showed that they had been incorrectly genotyped by the standard method but correctly genotyped by FRET. The simplicity, speed, and accuracy of real time PCR analysis using FRET probes make it the method of choice in the clinical laboratory for genotyping the haemochromatosis and factor V genes.

Computer Systems↗
PubMed1991

Gene rearrangement in B- and T-lymphoproliferative disease detected by the polymerase chain reaction.

Gene rearrangement and monoclonality have been detected in normal cells and in lymphoproliferative disease by using the polymerase chain reaction and primers for the V and J regions of the Ig heavy chain gene or T-cell receptor gamma-chain gene. Using the Ig primers monoclonality was detected in 20 of 20 normal B-lymphocyte clones and in 39 of 52 cases of various types of B-lymphoproliferative disease, but not in 11 cases of T-lymphoproliferative disease. Using the T-cell receptor primers, monoclonality was detected in 186 of 192 normal T-lymphocyte clones, in 11 of 11 cases of T-lymphoproliferative disease, in 9 of 12 cases of B-acute lymphocytic leukemia, and in 1 of 21 cases of B-non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, but not in nine cases of B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia nor in 10 cases of myeloma. Monoclonality was detected in material obtained by lymph node aspiration in four of six additional cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It was not detected in 10 cases of acute myeloid leukemia nor in four cases of reactive lymphadenopathy. Detection of gene rearrangement by the polymerase chain reaction has a number of advantages over Southern blotting and is likely to become the initial diagnostic technique of choice to detect monoclonality.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1990

Monoclonality in B-lymphoproliferative disorders detected at the DNA level.

A new method was developed for detection of monoclonality at the DNA level in B-lymphoproliferative disease using the polymerase chain reaction and consensus primers for the V and J regions of the immunoglobulin gene. Monoclonality was detected in DNA from 15 of 15 clonal B-lymphoblastoid cell lines and from 19 of 23 cases of B-lymphocyte neoplasia, but not from any of 16 normal T-lymphocyte clones, 9 cases of T-lymphocyte neoplasia, 20 samples of polyclonal peripheral blood lymphocytes, and 8 cases of reactive lymphadenopathy. This method for detection of monoclonality is likely to be of routine value in diagnosis owing to its simplicity, speed, and versatility.

B-Lymphocytes↗
PubMed1990

Monoclonality in B cell lymphoma detected in paraffin wax embedded sections using the polymerase chain reaction.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to develop a simple technique for detecting monoclonality at the DNA level in B lymphocyte populations in formalin fixed, paraffin wax embedded material. Sections were dewaxed and dehydrated, and the DNA was extracted by boiling in water for 45 minutes. A semi-nested PCR was performed to amplify the V-D-J region of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene. The product was electrophoresed and viewed under ultraviolet light after ethidium bromide staining. Specimens from 26 B cell lymphomas produced a monoclonal band in 24 cases and no amplification in two cases; monoclonality was specific for this disorder. Specimens from seven T cell lymphomas produced no amplification; specimens from nine reactive nodes produced a broad smear of polyclonal material; and specimens from 12 cases of carcinoma produced either no amplification or polyclonal material. As detection of monoclonality is strongly suggestive of neoplastic disease, this technique is likely to be of value in routine diagnosis, because of its speed, simplicity, and applicability to fixed, embedded material.

DNA, Neoplasm↗
PubMed1988

Mutations in human lymphocytes studied by an HLA selection system.

Human lymphocytes mutated at the HLA-A2 or HLA-A3 alleles were enumerated and studied by primary selection using antibody and complement, followed by limiting dilution cloning and secondary selection using immunofluorescence or antibody and complement. The geometric mean frequency of in vivo mutant lymphocytes was 3.08 X 10(-5) for the HLA-A2 allele and 4.68 X 10(-6) for the HLA-A3 allele. Mutagenesis by X-radiation or mitomycin produced a dose-related increase in mutant frequency. HLA-B phenotyping and Southern Analysis of the HLA-A gene suggested that mutation was frequently due to gene deletion, which was often substantial.

Alleles↗
PubMed1988

Activation of the food-derived mutagen 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4, 5-f]quinoline by human-liver microsomes.

The ability of human-liver microsomes to metabolically activate the food-derived heterocyclic amine, 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ), and the model mutagen, 2-aminofluorene (AF), has been investigated using Salmonella typhimurium TA98. In 6 subjects tested the number of revertants produced by 0.1 micrograms IQ per mg microsomal protein varied from 11, 830 +/- 320 to 42, 830 +/- 290 (mean +/- SD). With the same livers and a dose of 10 micrograms AF per plate the number of revertants varied from 15,770 +/- 1600 to 29,380 +/- 810 per mg microsomal protein. Metyrapone and alpha-naphthoflavone caused differential inhibition of the mutagenesis of both IQ and AF indicating the involvement of different forms of cytochrome P450 in the metabolic activation of these amines in human-liver microsomes. In presence of human-liver microsomes IQ produced no detectable increase in mutations at the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase locus in lymphocytes and caused no increase in micronuclei formation at realistic exposure levels.

Benzoflavones↗
PubMed1988

Detection of the molecular abnormality in chronic myeloid leukemia by use of the polymerase chain reaction.

The bcr-abl translocation characteristic of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) was detected by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) modified to use mRNA as the starting material. Amplification of a sequence spanning the bcr-abl junction was obtained by using peripheral blood cells from all of 20 patients with classic CML, one patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia probably secondary to CML, and two cell lines derived from patients with CML. The presence of bcr exon 3 in the mRNA was determined from the size of the amplified sequence; it was present in 14 and absent in seven patients. One leukemic cell per 1,000 nonleukemic cells could be readily detected, thus indicating the great sensitivity of the method. This technique is of routine value in CML both for diagnosis and for following the course of treatment.

Blast Crisis↗
PubMed1987

Metabolism of 2-acetylaminofluorene in cultured human lymphocytes.

The capacity of lymphocytes from 23 human subjects to metabolize the model carcinogen 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) was assessed. These cells metabolized AAF to its 1-, 7- and N-hydroxylated metabolites. Alpha-naphthoflavone and metyrapone exhibited IC50's for all pathways of 0.02 microM and 1 mM, respectively. These data indicate that the same form of cytochrome P450 or forms with similar IC50's are mediating these reactions. No significant difference was observed between lymphocytes from smokers versus non-smokers in the N-hydroxylation of AAF, the initial step in the metabolic activation of this carcinogen. However, lymphocytes from smokers were faster detoxifiers of AAF as seen in their increased capacity to 1- and 7-hydroxylate AAF compared to lymphocytes from non-smokers.

2-Acetylaminofluorene↗
PubMed1986

Delayed DNA methylation is an integral feature of DNA replication in mammalian cells.

In the majority of sites of methylation in the DNA of mammalian cells, the symmetry of methylation is restored within a few minutes of the passage of a replication fork. However, it has been shown that daughter strand methylation in immortalised cell lines is delayed in a substantial minority of sites for up to several hours after replication. We report here the results of two new approaches to the determination of the functional significance of delayed DNA methylation in mammalian cells. Firstly, we demonstrate that normal, nontransformed cells (human peripheral lymphocytes in short-term primary culture) have comparable proportions of delayed DNA methylation to many immortalised cell lines, showing that delayed DNA methylation is not just a secondary consequence of abnormally high methionine requirements commonly observed in transformed cells and that delayed DNA methylation would be unlikely not to occur in vivo. Secondly, we have used 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5azadCyd) to derive subclones of cells from the Chinese hamster ovary cell line which have stably hypomethylated DNA. In three of these subclones which had lost on average one fourth of the methylation sites from their genomes, the proportion of daughter strand methylation which was delayed after replication was reduced by less than 10%. If delayed DNA methylation were site-specific, this implies that of the order of twice the number of "immediate" methylation sites than delayed methylation sites had been lost from the genomes of these hypomethylated subclones. Thus, delayed DNA methylation is an integral part of the process whereby replicating mammalian cells maintain the pattern of methylation in their genomes. These observations are discussed in relation to the significance of delayed DNA methylation for the accurate maintenance of methylation patterns in the genome and the consequent implications for the possible role of methylated deoxycytidines in mammalian gene control.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Methods for study of mutations and mutagenesis in human lymphocytes.

Detailed methods are presented for measurement and study of in vivo mutations and in vitro mutagenesis in human lymphocytes. The methods described include preparation of conditioned medium containing interleukin-2, enumeration of mutant clones, in vitro mutagenesis, and expansion of mutant clones for further study.

Clone Cells↗
PubMed1984

Mutation frequency in human lymphocytes increases with age.

Several theories of ageing predict that somatic mutations should increase with age. This prediction was tested for human lymphocytes using a recently developed clonal technique for enumeration of mutations, and an increase of 1.6% per year in mutations with age was detected.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Cloning of lymphocytes from whole blood by limiting dilution.

A simple whole blood limiting dilution technique was developed to clone human lymphocytes non-specifically. The geometric mean frequency of clone forming cells in 13 normal individuals was found to be 31.1%. Compared with measurement of proliferation in mass suspension culture, cloning provides a quantitative and easily interpretable endpoint for a variety of lymphocyte studies and its use in measurement of radiation sensitivity is presented as an example.

Cell Survival↗
PubMed1983

Cloning of human lymphocytes using limiting dilution.

A simple technique for cloning lymphocytes at limiting dilution in microwells has been developed using phytohaemagglutinin, irradiated cells and conditioned medium containing interleukin-2. For freshly isolated peripheral blood lymphocytes, the mean frequency of clone forming cells (CFC) was 29.4% and for continuously cultured lymphocytes it was 25.5%. Quantitative considerations, mixing experiments involving HLA-A2 positive and negative cells and replating experiments indicated that growth in most of the positive microwells originated from a single cell which had a very high self-renewal capacity and underwent approximately 15 divisions during the 14 days of culture. The high plating efficiency and sustained growth observed with this technique suggests that it is the method of choice for enumerating clone forming cells or for isolating clones.

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed1980

A proliferative defect of marrow cells in experimental chronic hypoplastic marrow failure (aplastic anaemia).

Marrow cells from control mice and mice with chronic hypoplastic marrow failure (CHMF, aplastic anaemia) were grown in tissue culture and growth was assessed by measuring the number of cells/colony and uptake of 3H-thymidine/colony. Cells from mice with CHMF showed impaired proliferation in response to colony stimulating factor. Mixing experiments suggested that the impairment of proliferation was not dut to alteration in suppressor or helper cells but to an intrinsic lesion of the marrow cells themselves.

Anemia, Aplastic↗