Adoptive immunotherapy of experimental ovarian-cancer using activated human monocytes and the human monoclonal-antibody, anti-14c1.

We have examined the ability of the ovarian cancer cell-line OWmM1 to grow intraperitoneally in athymic ('nude') mice. The cell-line was tumorigenic and metastatic in a manner that paralleled the human disease; the metastatic nodules implanted onto the peritoneal surface, the diaphragm and the mesentery. The resulting tumour formed a clear ascitic fluid and peritoneal carcinomatosis. Adoptive transfer of activated human monocytes to the peritoneal cavity of tumour-bearing animals showed no increase in survival, while antibody alone produced a modest survival benefit (2-4 days). Administration of the human monoclonal antibody anti-14C1 and monocyte therapy together increased the benefit further and resulted in approximately 30% of the animals surviving until the end of the experiment (100 days).

The effects of conjugated equine estrogens plus cyclical dydrogesterone on serum lipoproteins and apoproteins in postmenopausal women.

Serum lipoprotein and apoprotein concentrations were monitored for 24 weeks in 26 postmenopausal women treated with conjugated equine estrogens (0.625 mg/day) with the addition of dydrogesterone (10 mg/day) for the last 12 days of each 28 day cycle. The women had had no previous hormone replacement therapy. The estrogen plus dydrogesterone regimen caused significant (P less than 0.05) increases in triacylglycerol and HDL cholesterol concentrations. Both HDL2 and HDL3 cholesterol were increased. There were no other significant changes in lipoprotein concentrations. Both apoprotein AI and apoprotein AII concentrations increased significantly (P less than 0.05) over the study period. The ratios of apoprotein AI to apoprotein AII, apoprotein AI to HDL cholesterol and apoprotein AII to HDL cholesterol did not change. At the doses employed in this study, the use of dydrogesterone as a progestogen alters the effects of conjugated equine estrogens on lipoproteins and reinforces the view that the effects of a combined HRT regimen cannot be predicted from a consideration of the effects of the individual components.

The effects of conjugated equine oestrogens with and without a cyclical progestogen on lipoproteins, and HDL subfractions in postmenopausal women.

Serum lipoprotein levels were followed for 24 weeks in 21 oophorectomised women treated with conjugated equine oestrogens (0.625 mg/day) and 21 women who had had a natural menopause and were treated with a combined preparation consisting of conjugated equine oestrogens (0.625 mg/day) with the addition of dl-norgestrel (0.15 mg/day) for the last 12 days of each treatment cycle. Conjugated equine oestrogens caused a significant (P less than 0.05) increase in triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, especially HDL2 cholesterol, and a significant decrease (P less than 0.05) in LDL cholesterol. Those subjects treated with conjugated equine oestrogens plus cyclical norgestrel showed a significant (P less than 0.05) decrease in LDL cholesterol levels only.