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T K Shnitka

Publications and source records attributed to T K Shnitka.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Pathophysiologic and ultrastructural basis for intestinal symptoms in Fabry's disease.

Fabry's disease is a rare, sex-linked disorder of glycolipid metabolism. We describe a patient with watery diarrhea, early satiety, and asymptomatic cholelithiasis. The jejunal aspirate demonstrated bacterial overgrowth; sigmoidoscopy showed rectal angiokeratoma corpora diffusum. The gastric emptying rate measured with 99mTc-sulfur colloid was markedly prolonged and the fasting gastrin was elevated at 276 pg/ml. The (14C)glycocholate breath test demonstrated a markedly elevated peak at 4 h, associated with an increased fecal bile acid loss of 0.82 g/day. Oral cholecystogram showed a solitary radiolucent stone in a functioning gallbladder. The bile acid pool size and lithogenic index were normal. Light microscopy of small bowel and rectal biopsy specimens revealed normal surface epithelium, but enlarged and vacuolated ganglion cells in Meissner's plexus. Electron microscopy showed laminated and amorphous osmiophilic deposits within ganglion cells of the submucosal plexus, within smooth muscle cells of the muscularis mucosae, and within endothelial cells lining arterioles, venules, and capillaries, but not in autonomic nerve fibers or enterocytes. The diarrhea and early satiety responded promptly to metoclopramide and to tetracycline. The early satiety was likely on the basis of delayed gastric emptying due to deposition of sphingolipid within ganglion cells of the autonomic nervous system; the diarrhea was likely on the basis of intestinal stasis with bacterial overgrowth and bile salt wastage.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

KLN205--a murine lung carcinoma cell line.

KLN205 cells, a cloned cell line established from the Nettesheim lung carcinoma, grow in various synthetic media such as MEM, Fisher's or Roswell Park Memorial Institute Medium (RPMI) with the addition of 5 to 20% fetal bovine serum (FBS), calf-serum (CS) or horse serum (HS). They grow optimally in minimum Eagle's medium plus nonessential amino acids (NEAA) plus 5 to 10% FBS or HS. The cells are transplantable to DBA/2, BDF1, AKD2F1, and BALB/c, but not to C3H/He or ICR mice. The growth curves, plating efficiency, ultrastructural characteristics, modal number of chromosomes and transplantability to mice of various strains are almost the same for early and late passage of cells passaged in vitro. These parameters for 16th and 36th passages were: doubling time, 31 and 33 hr; plating efficiency, 12.4 +/- 1.2 and 14.6 +/- 2.6%; modal number of chromosomes, 73 and 76; lung colony formation in DBA/2, 50 and 45.9/mouse; and subcutaneous tumor diameter 24.5 and 27.4 mm, respectively. Only the numbers of lung colonies formed in BDF1 mice were different: 24.4/mouse with 16th passage cells, and 10.2/mouse with 36th passage cells. The results suggest that KLN205 is a relatively stable cultured cell line through 36 passages. As was expected, immunosuppression by higher concentrations of triaminolone acetonide (TA) enhanced lung colony formation in BDF1 mice. On the other hand, a low concentration of TA inhibited lung colony formation in DBA/2 mice, which was unexpected. These results suggest that KLN205 offers a model for investigations on metastases to lungs as well as chemotherapy for lung carcinoma.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Characterization of a pituitary stone.

Calcification of the pituitary is unusual and functional studies of such cases have not been previously reported. We have been able to document persistent prolactin secretion both in vivo and in vitro in a patient with a severely calcified pituitary adenoma ("pituitary stone"), and have also documented prolactin granules within the calcified tissue mass. Normal menstrual function was restored after surgical removal of the "stone," and galactorrhea subsided although the prolactin response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) remained abnormal. Two years after surgery the menstrual cycle has remained regular, but galactorrhea has recurred, emphasizing the need for prolonged follow-up in patients with prolactin-producing adenomas, despite apparent surgical cure. The in vitro studies showed that human pituitary tissue is secretory in culture and thus may serve as a useful tool for physiologic studies of the pituitary cell.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1980

Stromal 5 alpha-reductase activity is elevated in benign prostatic hyperplasia.

The activities of 5 alpha-reductase and 3 alpha (beta)-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase were assayed in homogenates of stroma and epithelium obtained from 3 normal, 9 hyperplastic and 2 carcinomatous human prostates. Irrespective of the normal or abnormal condition of the prostate, the localization of 5 alpha-reductase was predominantly in stroma whereas the reductive and oxidative activities of 3 alpha (beta)-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase were more evenly divided between stroma and epithelium. Furthermore, the mean specific activity of 5 alpha-reductase in hyperplastic stroma at 84.6 plus or minus 13.1 (plus or minus SEM) pmol 30 min-1 mg protein-1 was almost 3 times greater (Student's t-test, P < 0.05) than the corresponding value in normal stroma, 31.6 plus or minus 7.2 pmol mg protein-1 30 min-1. We conclude that the stroma is the primary site of conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone in the human prostate owing to the prevalence in stroma of 5 alpha-reductase, and that benign prostatic hyperplasia is characterized by an increased amount of stromal 5 alpha-reductase activity.

3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases↗
PubMed1978

Studies on kallikrein in the duct systems of the salivary glands of the cat.

By correlating immunofluorescence light microscopy with electron microscope studies and with kallikrein concentrations under various conditions, we have made the following observations and conclusions about kallikrein in the submandibular and other salivary glands.1. In the submandibular gland, specific immunofluorescence to kallikrein was observed in the luminal region of the striated ducts particularly, but also in the outer epithelial cells of the stratified epithelial collecting ducts. Sympathetic nerve stimulation resulted in a reduction in intensity of specific fluorescence and in its increased localization towards the lumen. The nearly complete elimination of kallikrein from the gland by duct obstruction for four days resulted in complete disappearance of specific fluorescence in the gland. Prolonged parasympathetic nerve stimulation at frequencies which did not reduce the kallikrein concentration of the gland failed to alter the specific immunofluorescence despite copious secretion of saliva. Our results failed to reveal evidence of secretion of kallikrein either into or towards the interstitium of the gland. The luminal layer of stratified epithelial cells in the collecting ducts contained small secretory granules closely resembling those in the striated ducts. Our results are not conclusive, but do suggest that kallikrein is located in these granules whence it is secreted into the lumen of the duct.2. The parotid gland was found to contain much lower concentrations of kallikrein than the submandibular gland. This finding was associated with the presence of far fewer striated ducts in the parotid gland. Otherwise, specific fluorescence and the response to sympathetic nerve stimulation was like that of the submandibular gland. Small secretory granules in the striated and collecting ducts resembled those of the submandibular gland.3. The sublingual gland, like the parotid, had a low concentration of kallikrein and very few striated ducts. These ducts were unevenly distributed and were concentrated in only a few lobules of the gland. Specific immunofluorescence was seen only in sections containing striated ducts.4. The possible physiological role of kallikrein in the salivary glands is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Cytomegalovirus-associated gastric ulcer.

A patients with a cytomegalovirus (CMV) post-transfusion syndrome developed upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding; subsequently, a gastric ulcer was found. CMV was searched for in the gastroscopic biopsy material because the gastric ulcer had occurred in a setting of CMV mononucleosis. CMV cells were found in gastroscopic biopsy sections and CMV was also cultured from biopsy material. This study illustrates the feasibility of antemortem diagnosis of CMV-associated disease of the upper gastrointestinal tract.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Cytomegalovirus infection of the gastrointestinal tract in a patient with late onset immunodeficiency syndrome.

An adult with the late onset immunodeficiency syndrome developed intractable diarrhea. Widespread cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection of the gastrointestinal tract was detected antemortem with detailed morphological studies and viral culture. The CMV-type cells were especially numerous in his severely ulcerated colon. Electron microscopy of infected cells in rectal biopsy material revealed the characteristic features of CMV infection. It is likely that the CMV infection contributed to the symptom complex and the mucosal injury. Unusual opportunistic infections as a cause of diarrhea should be considered in patients with late onset immunodefociency, especially if Giardiasis is ruled out.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency and pancreatic fibrosis.

A 39-year-old woman with homozygous ZZ alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency was found to have pancreatic fibrosis in addition to the recognized pulmonary and hepatic abnormalities. Pancreatic exocrine function was normal but endocrine studies showed glucose intolerance. Pancreatic fibrosis may be another manifestation of alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency.

Adult↗
PubMed1973

Immunity of Epstein-Barr virus in Hodgkin's disease preceded by infectious mononucleosis.

A patient who developed Hodgkin's disease four years after infectious mononucleosis had elevated serum antibody titres to Epstein-Barr virus and delayed hypersensitivity reactions to membrane antigens prepared from fresh autologous spleen, from spleen cells of another Hodgkin's patient, and from cell lines known to carry the Epstein-Barr virus genome. Additional studies in more lymphoma patients will be needed to determine the significance of the reactivity against tumour and virus-associated antigens which has been documented in this patient.

Adult↗