Biomedical subjects
U Carpentieri
Publications and source records attributed to U Carpentieri.
Observations on prostaglandins in normal and leukemic human lymphocytes.
Prostaglandins E (PGE) and F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) were measured in lymphocytes of normal subjects, children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), and adults with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). In ALL lymphocytes PGE increased from a normal value of 25 pgrams to 270 pgrams/10(6) cells, and PGF 2 alpha increased from a normal value of 31 pgrams to 482 pgrams/10(6) cells. In CLL lymphocytes, levels of PGE and PGF2 alpha were normal or low. When normal lymphocytes were stimulated with phytohemagglutinin (PHA), the level of PGE and PGF2 alpha fluctuated, followed by corresponding changes in the level of cyclic nucleotides. In cultured ALL lymphocytes, the level of PGE remained high, while cyclic 3':5'-adenosine monophosphate (c-AMP) level was constantly low, and the initial level of PGF2 alpha fluctuated in relation to similar oscillations of cyclic 3':5'-guanosine monophosphate (c-GMP). These values were lower, although not significantly, when ALL lymphocytes were stimulated with PHA. When CLL lymphocytes were stimulated with PHA, the level of PGE remained low (20 pgrams), as did that of c-AMP. The level of PGF2 alpha, after a brief initial increase (130 pgrams), returned to and remained at a lower level (60 pgrams) while the level of c-GMP was persistently high. These results suggest: (1) prostaglandins may indirectly influence the cell cycle, possibly through modulation of cyclase activity and levels of cyclic nucleotides; and (2) some derangement of this regulatory mechanism may be present in leukemic lymphocytes.
HbE-beta-thalassemia associated with G6PD deficiency.
HbE, beta thalassemia, and G6PD deficiency were demonstrated in a 6-year-old Mexican-American child with anemia, jaundice, and delayed growth. The father was heterozygous for HbE, and the mother for beta-thalassemia and G6PD deficiency. The association of these three diseases should be included in the differential diagnosis of anemia in childhood, particularly after the recent influx of people form Southeast Asia into the United States.
Biosynthesis of hemoglobin F Malta-I in culture by adult circulating erythropoietic precursors.
By using a methylcellulose clonal assay, we cultured peripheral blood erythropoietic precursors (BFU-E) from an adult couple whose child had HbF Malta-I(gamma 117 His leads to Arg), a G gamma variant, and measured the synthetic rates of HbA, HbF, and HbF Malta-I. Hemoglobin was labeled with 14C-amino acid in culture, separated by slab gel isoelectric focusing technique, and quantitated by autoradiographic or fluorographic method. Culture of BFU-E from both parents revealed significant HbF biosynthesis. HbF Malta-I was present in culture of the father's cells and comprised about 24% of total HbF. When we analyzed Hb biosynthesis in individual bursts, all bursts contained HbA and HbF in varying ratios. The frequency distribution of the individual bursts differing in percentages of HbF biosynthesis approached normal distribution. While the relative ratio of HbF Malta-I to total HbF biosynthesis in individual bursts also revealed significant variation, its frequency distribution did not show a normal distribution. There was a positive correlation between the ratios of HbF/Hb and HbF Malta-I/HbF in individual bursts.
Variation of activity of protein kinases in unstimulated and phytohemagglutinin-stimulated normal and leukemic human lymphocytes.
Cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase (kinase A) and cyclic guanosine 3':5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase (kinase G) were assayed in lymphocytes of normal subjects, adults with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). There was a good correlation between the activity of the two kinases and the level of the corresponding cyclic nucleotides. This was true for cultured phytohemagglutinin-stimulated normal lymphocytes and CLL lymphocytes as well. Kinase A activity was low and kinase G activity was high in leukemic cells in the absence of the respective cyclic nucleotides [5 and 8 units (pmol 32P incorporated into histone per min per mg protein) for kinase A and 98 and 51 units for kinase G in ALL and CLL lymphocytes, respectively]. Upon addition of cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate and cyclic guanosine 3':5'-monophosphate in vitro, values for kinase A activity returned to normal (approximately 30 units), whereas those for kinase G increased further (212 units for ALL and 85 units for CLL lymphocytes; 22 units was the kinase activity for normal lymphocytes). These findings suggest that cyclic nucleotides achieve thetr specificity in the regulation of the cell, in part, through the activation of the dependent protein kinases and that both kinase A and kinase G may be functionally intact in leukemic cells.
Observations on the level of cyclic nucleotides in three population of human lymphocytes in culture.
The level of cyclic nucleotides in three populations of cultured human lymphocytes were studied. An early conspicuous elevation of c-GMP level and a reciprocal relationship between c-AMP and c-GMP fluctuations were demonstrated in T cells from normal donors. Null cells from patients with ALL showed a constantly low level of c-AMP, while c-GMP fluctuated in apparent relationship with cell doubling time. Persistently low levels of c-AMP and persistently high level of c-GMP were found in B cells from patients with CLL. Possible significance of these findings is discussed.
Respiratory and calcium transport functions of mitochondria isolated from normal and transformed human lymphocytes.
Methods have been developed to isolate mitochondria from small amounts of normal and leukemic human lymphocytes obtained from small volumes of circulating blood. Mitochondrial respiratory functions were measured by polarographic techniques, and active calcium uptake was measured by a spectrophotometric procedure utilizing the calcium-sensitive dye murexide. The results indicate that the rates of active oxygen consumption of normal human lymphocyte mitochondria are very low in comparison to values obtained from a number of animal tissue sources. Mitochondria extracted from the lymphocytes of leukemic patients and from cultured, and phytohemagglutinin-transformed human lymphocytes exhibited higher respiratory rates than did normal controls. Although respiratory rates were relatively low in all preparations, the efficiency of energy coupling (ADP:O, ratio of nmol of adenosine diphosphate phosphorylated to nanoatoms of O2 consumed) was within normal limits. The mitochondria extracted from leukemia, cultured, and phytohemagglutinin-transformed lymphocytes exhibited high rates of respiratory substrate-supported calcium uptake compared to controls.
Leukapheresis in a 3-year-old child with lymphoma in leukemic transformation.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Hyperreninemia and hyperaldosteronism in sickle cell anemia.
Fourteen patients with sickle cell anemia, ages 6 to 20 years, were studied while ingesting high- and low-sodium diets. Although none of the patients had excessive urinary loss of sodium, the majority had elevated plasma renin activities and aldosterone secretion rates. The PRA was higher in patients over 10 years of age; ASR in patients receiving the high-sodium diet increased with age. Patients with sickle cell anemia appeared to compensate for urinary sodium loss between crises. The mechanism of this loss could be a defect in the function of either the distal tubule or the loop of Henle.
Ferrochelatase deficiency in an infant with anemia and growth delay.
A 5-month-old infant with hypochromic anemia and iron overload secondary to ferrochelatase (heme synthetase) deficiency is described. Decreased activity of iron-containing enzymes in the absence of any other proven cause is suggested as the main cause of the associated growth retardation.
Clinical experience in prevention of candidiasis by nystatin in children with acute lymphocytic leukemia.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Hyperglycemia associated with the therapeutic use of L-asparaginase: possible role of insulin receptors.
A study of four children, two with acute lymphocytic leukemia and two with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, treated for three days with L-asparaginase, suggests that insulin receptors may be involved in the hyperglycemia associated with the use of L-asparaginase. Comparison of insulin receptors of circulating monocytes revealed a marked decrease in their number after treatment. This might also explain the lack of response to insulin treatment in one of the patients with symptomatic hyperglycemia.
Misdiagnosis of neglect in a child with bleeding disorder and cystic fibrosis.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Purpura and Schamberg's disease.
We have described a 9-year-old boy with progressive pigmentary dermatosis. The disease requires no treatment, but must be considered in the differential diagnosis of purpura in childhood to avoid unnecessary delay and concern to the patient.
Ataxia and athetosis as side effects of chemotherapy with vincristine in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Immunohemolytic anemia in children: a review. Part I.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
An improved method for purification of lymphocytes.
A method that combines glass-bead column filtration, Ficoll-Hypaque gradient separation, discontinuous sucrose gradient, and drastic reduction of cell transfers is described. The procedure gives a high yield of pure human lymphocytes from small amounts of blood, good preservation of B cell/T cell ratio, and sufficient material for subsequent biochemical studies.