Clara-cell secretory protein in preterm infants' tracheal aspirates correlates with maturity and increases in infection.

Clara-cell secretory protein (CCSP), produced primarily by Clara cells in the conducting airways, is the most abundant soluble protein in pulmonary lavage fluid. CCSP is thought to be an immunosuppressive or anti-inflammatory protein with protective functions in the respiratory tract against exaggerated inflammatory reactions. CCSP was measured in 98 tracheoalveolar fluid (TAF) samples from 24 preterm infants (gestational age, 27.9 +/- 2.3 weeks, birth weight 1,020 +/- 305 g) with respiratory distress syndrome during the first 2 postnatal weeks. The ratio of urea-N in serum and in TAF was used to correct for dilution of TAF samples. Concentration of CCSP in TAF when corrected for dilution increased from 3.6 +/- 11 microg/mL on day 1 to 29.6 +/- 6.9 microg/mL on day 14. CCSP correlated with gestational age. A negative correlation was found between CCSP and inspiratory oxygen concentration, and a positive correlation between CCSP and both arterial pH and base excess during the first 2 postnatal weeks. Infants with clinical and laboratory signs of infection had higher CCSP than noninfected infants, and a negative correlation was found between CCSP and leukocyte count during the first 2 postnatal weeks (all P < 0.05). We suggest that pulmonary CCSP correlates with both gestational and postnatal age, and increases in response to infection in infants with respiratory distress during the early postnatal period.

RT-PCR from eosinophil-depleted leukocytes without RNA extraction: cell selection using streptavidin PCR tubes.

OBJECTIVES: The major RNase activity of leukocytes has been attributed to eosinophil-derived neurotoxin EDN. Depletion of eosinophils enables RT-PCR from 10(5) leukocytes without RNA extraction. In this study we introduced streptavidin-coated PCR tube strips for the selection of eosinophil-free leukocytes for RT-PCR analysis. DESIGN AND METHODS: Polypropylene 0.2 ml PCR tube strips were coated with streptavidin and biotinylated antibodies against cell surface antigens were attached to the tubes. CD7-positive T-lymphocytes, CD19-positive B-lymphocytes and CD16-positive cells (mainly neutrophils and monocytes) were positively selected by incubating of 1-2 x 10(5) leukocytes in the antibody-coated PCR tubes for 30 min at 23 degrees C. RESULTS: The mean amount of cells bound into a tube was 31,500 (CV25%) T-cells and 8,600 (CV61%) B-cells from 12 blood samples, and 23,600 (CV22%) CD16+ cells from 17 samples. The influence of selected cell lysate on the RT-PCR analysis of Philadelphia chromosome (bcr/abl translocation) from 100 K562 cells was small: 78% (CV28%) of the leukocyte-free signal was obtained in the presence of CD16+ cells or 89% (CV15%) and 99% (CV11%) and in the presence of T-cells and B-cells, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that through the introduction of eosinophil-free cell population into RT-PCR a reproducible method with reasonable leukocyte yield and avoiding RNA extraction was developed.

Major interference from leukocytes in reverse transcription-PCR identified as neurotoxin ribonuclease from eosinophils: detection of residual chronic myelogenous leukemia from cell lysates by use of an eosinophil-depleted cell preparation.

BACKGROUND: The extraction of RNA from leukocytes for reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) is time-consuming and contributes to variation in analysis of the Philadelphia (Ph1) chromosome of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) by RT-PCR. To detect residual CML after bone marrow transplantation, mRNA from at least 10(5) leukocytes should be analyzed, but the RNase activity of the cells precludes simple leukocytes lysis as an alternative to RNA extraction. We sought to identify the main source of RNase activity of leukocytes. METHODS: We used a three-step chromatographic process and amino acid sequence analysis. We selected eosinophil-free granulocytes by using a biotinylated CD16 antibody and selected mononuclear cells by fractionating the leukocytes with a Ficoll-Paque(R) density gradient. RESULTS: Chromatography and amino acid sequencing identified eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN) as the main source of leukocyte RNase. Depletion of eosinophils reduced the EDN content of cell lysates by approximately 90%, allowing a signal from a lysate of 50 K562 Ph1-positive cells mixed with 10(5) CD16(+) granulocytes that was equivalent to 77% of the signal in the absence of leukocytes. A similar lysate with mononuclear cells gave a signal equivalent to 53% of that without mononuclear cells. RNA extraction gave a signal equivalent to only 24% of the leukocyte-free control. CONCLUSION: The depletion of eosinophils during the preparation of leukocyte samples for RT-PCR efficiently reduces the risk of mRNA degradation by ribonucleases, enabling RT-PCR analysis directly from cell lysates with a better signal than can be obtained by RNA extraction.

Detection of Philadelphia chromosome using PCR and europium-labeled DNA probes.

More than 95% of the patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) carry translocations between protooncogene abl of chromosome 9 and bcr gene of chromosome 22, resulting in the Philadelphia chromosome (Ph1). After allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) it is important to detect possible residual malignant cells in CML patients. A new sensitive hybridization method combined with polymerase chain reaction (PCR), based on the detection of the europium (Eu3+) label by time-resolved fluorescence, was applied for the detection of Ph1 chromosome. Total RNA from 10(6) peripheral blood leukocytes was isolated by the acid guanidinium thiocyanate-phenol-chloroform extraction. After cDNA synthesis by reverse transcriptase, the PCR amplification (30 cycles) was carried out. In the detection phase two oligonucleotide probes were used in the hybridization reaction, one biotinylated (bcr gene, exon 2) and one (abl gene) labeled with Eu3+. The hybrids were collected in a streptavidin-coated microtitration well and the bound Eu3+ was measured in a time-resolved fluorometer. To assess the sensitivity of the method, different numbers of CML cell line K562 cells were mixed with 10(5) apparently normal human leukocytes. Five K562 cells/10(5) leukocytes could be detected. Six patients with CML confirmed by clinical and cytogenetic criteria were studied. Three of the patients underwent an allogeneic BTM 6-18 months before the investigation and all of them were Ph1-negative. The other three patients who were nontransplanted were positive as expected.

Time-resolved immunofluorometric assay of total renin in plasma and follicular fluid.

We developed a new time-resolved immunofluorometric assay (TR-IFMA) using two monoclonal antibodies for the total renin measurement in human plasma and follicular fluid. No conversion of prorenin to renin was needed because the assay detected both renin and prorenin. The detection limit of the assay was 10 ng/L and the linear range was 10-25,000 ng/L. Within-assay precision (CV) was 15-8% at renin concentrations of 50-12,200 ng/L. Between-assay precision was 19-3% at concentrations of 100-18,000 ng/L. Analytical recovery of added renin was 85-104% (n = 5) in plasma samples and 104-119% (n = 3) in follicular fluids. For plasma, the reference interval was 78-262 ng/L in men (n = 44) and 36-226 ng/L in women (n = 43).

Application of a new monoclonal antibody for time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay of human pancreatic phospholipase A2.

A monoclonal antibody, designated 2E1, against human pancreatic phospholipase A2 was produced by hybridization of myeloma cells with spleen cells of immunized BALB/c mice. The hybridomas were screened for antibody production by time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TR-FIA). The antibody was found to belong to subclass I of murine IgG. The specificity of the antibody was confirmed by immunohistochemistry of pancreatic and other tissues, by immunoblotting of a crude aqueous extract of human pancreas and purified human pancreatic phospholipase A2 and by TR-FIA. A solid-phase time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay was developed by using the monoclonal anti-phospholipase A2 antibody as the catching antibody and a polyclonal sheep anti-phospholipase A2 antibody labelled with europium as the detecting antibody. The validity of the new TR-FIA of human pancreatic phospholipase A2 was confirmed by using it to measure the phospholipase A2 concentrations in serum samples from healthy subjects and from patients suffering from acute pancreatitis.

Double monoclonal time-resolved immunofluorometric assay of beta 2-microglobulin in serum.

Previously reported immunochemical assays of beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2m) have usually been based on polyclonal antisera. We have developed a "sandwich"-type time-resolved immunofluorometric assay (TR-IFMA) for beta 2m in serum, based on two monoclonal antibodies against human beta 2m. Microtiter wells are coated with the capture antibody, and the tracer antibody is labeled with a europium chelate. In a simple and fast assay procedure, prediluted serum samples are incubated with the tracer for 1 h in the microtiter wells, after which the wells are washed and the fluorescence of Eu is measured. The mean analytical recovery was 101.8% and results by TR-IFMA showed a good linear correlation with those by an established radioimmunoassay. The analytical range of TR-IFMA is large and well suited for clinical purposes.

Two new two-step immunoassays for free thyroxin evaluated: solid-phase radioimmunoassay and time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay.

We measured concentrations of free thyroxin (FT4) in serum by using two new two-step FT4 assays--a solid-phase two-step radioimmunoassay. Spectria, and a time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay. Delfia--and compared the results with those by a two-step FT4 assay (RIA-gnost), a one-step FT4 analog assay (Amerlex-M), and FT4 measured after equilibrium dialysis. The new FT4 assays classified 30 hypothyroid and 43 hyperthyroid patients (untreated) well. In 138 patients with nonthyroidal illness (NTI) and in late pregnancy (n = 36), fewer subnormal FT4 values were reported by Spectria (P less than 0.001), Delfia (P less than 0.001), and RIA-gnost (P less than 0.01) than by Amerlex-M. The results of the Spectria and Delfia methods correlated with the results of the dialysis method (r = 0.76) in NTI patients and pregnancy, and were in better agreement with the clinical state than was FT4 by Amerlex-M. The FT4 values by Amerlex-M, but not by other methods, correlated with albumin concentration. We conclude that these new two-step methods present good alternatives for FT4 analysis.

Time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay of pancreatic phospholipase A2.

We have developed an immunoassay for human pancreatic secretory phospholipase A2 based on time-resolved fluorescence. The labeled antibody technique in combination with the time-resolved fluorometric detection of the Europium label, which essentially eliminates all background fluorescence, resulted in a high sensitivity and a wide linear range. Our assay is a one-incubation, multi-site, solid-phase assay on polystyrene microtiter strips, even though a polyclonal antibody was used. Increased levels of immunoreactive phospholipase A2 are found by this assay in sera of patients suffering from acute pancreatitis.

Immunoreactive pancreatic phospholipase A2 and catalytically active phospholipases A2 in serum from patients with acute pancreatitis.

Measuring the content of immunoreactive pancreatic phospholipase A2 (PLA2; EC 3.1.1.4) and the catalytic activity of PLA2 in serum samples from five patients with acute pancreatitis, we found no correlation between these two measurements overall. To test the specificity of the method for catalytic PLA2, we measured PLA2 activity in serum samples before and after immunoadsorption with an antiserum to human pancreatic PLA2. The results suggest the presence of at least two immunologically distinct PLA2 enzyme proteins in sera from these patients. One of the enzymes is pancreatic in origin and may exist in active, inactive, or inhibited form. The activity profile of the second PLA2 enzyme in serum during acute pancreatitis differs from that for other common pancreatic enzymes. In the present experiment, the catalytic activity was not removed by treatment with the anti-human pancreatic PLA2 antiserum. The source of this second PLA2 activity is unknown. Some samples contained increased activities of both PLA2 forms.

Direct solid-phase time-resolved immunofluorometric assay of cortisol in serum.

A dissociation-enhanced lanthanide fluoroimmunoassay of serum cortisol based on time-resolved fluorescence is described. The assay is a direct assay, where cortisol immobilized on the wall of a microtiter-strip well competes with cortisol in the sample for the europium-labeled polyclonal antibody. The amount of bound europium-labeled antibody is inversely proportional to the amount of cortisol in the sample. Separation is accomplished by washing the strip well. The assay is carried out in 2 h, at room temperature; it is easy to perform and gives accurate and reliable results. A chaotropic agent, trichloracetic acid, was very effective in releasing cortisol from binding proteins. This finding will have practical importance in the immunoassay field.

Immunoreactive phospholipase A2 in serum in acute pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.

Immunoreactive phospholipase A2 (EC 3.1.1.4) was measured by a new sensitive time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay in the serum of 58 healthy subjects and 103 patients with acute pancreatitis. Patients with acute pancreatitis were grouped according to the etiology and clinical severity of the disease. The mean phospholipase A2 concentration in the reference (healthy) group was 5.5 (SD 1.9) micrograms/L. In acute pancreatitis the mean phospholipase A2 concentration was increased on the first day after hospital admission in all groups, and returned to normal somewhat more slowly than did serum amylase, especially in the patients with severe alcoholic pancreatitis. In this latter group the mean concentration of serum phospholipase A2 on the first day was 42.6 (SD 29.5) micrograms/L. In patients with pancreatic cancer, serum phospholipase A2 was 29.2 (SD 21.3) micrograms/L. The phospholipase A2 and amylase values were closely associated in all groups. The clinical sensitivities were 90.9% for severe alcoholic pancreatitis and 87.5% for pancreatic cancer. Immunochemical determination of phospholipase A2 in serum provides fast and specific detection of injury to pancreatic acinar cells. In addition to the early diagnosis of acute pancreatitis, follow-up determinations of phospholipase A2 seem to be useful in differentiating between mild and severe forms of pancreatitis.

Ischaemic contracture in isolated rat heart: reversible or irreversible myocardial injury?

An isolated rat heart preparation was reperfused at 37 degrees C for 10 min after 10, 20, 30 and 40 min of ischaemia. The left ventricular tension was measured by means of a balloon catheter filled with water and connected to a pressure recorder. The left ventricular resting tension began to increase at 9 +/- 1 min (mean +/- SEM) and was maximally developed (myocardial contracture) at 18 +/- 1 min of ischaemia. There was a striking and constant exacerbation of the resting tension during reperfusion after 30 and 40 min (but not after 10 or 20 min) of ischaemia with simultaneous acceleration of creatine phosphokinase (CK) release into the coronary effluent and with the loss of the recovery of contractile activity. Myocardial adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-content decreased during 20 min of ischaemia more in the endocardial (ENDO) (from 17.7 +/- 1.9 mumol/g to 0.7 +/- 0.1 mumol/g) than in epicardial (EPI) (from 15.5 +/- 0.9 mumol/g to 3.2 +/- 0.6 mumol/g) parts of myocardium. Reperfusion after 10 min of ischaemia resulted in a slight increase of myocardial ATP-content both in EPI (from 7.5 +/- 0.6 to 10.4 +/- 0.8 mumol/g, p less than 0.05) and ENDO (from 5.0 +/- 0.8 to 8.9 +/- 2.5 mumol/g, n.s.). Reperfusion after the completion of contracture (after 20 min) had no effect on myocardial ATP-content. The results indicate that there is a transmural ATP gradient in ischaemic isolated rat heart and that myocardial ATP net production during reperfusion (10 min) is prevented after the development of ischaemic contracture.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Determination of hormones by time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay.

Immunoassays based on europium labels and time-resolved fluorescence as the detection method, have been developed. The specific activity of the label is several orders of magnitude higher than that of radioactive labels. Consequently, the technique provides great potential, especially in the determination of analytes which require high sensitivity. Both competitive and immunometric assays which use labelled antibodies have been worked out. In competitive assays the antigen is immobilized on a solid phase with a protein carrier. The antigen in the standard or sample then competes with the labelled antibody in solution. Separation is done simply by washing the wells in the microtitre strip where the assays are performed. Model systems are described for the measurement of testosterone and cortisol. Immunometric assays of human thyrotropin (hTSH) and luteotropin (LH) were performed with monoclonal antibodies, by either a one-step (hTSH) or two-step (LH) incubation procedure. These assays, which exploit the specific activity of the label, give a very high sensitivity and good reproducibility. The standard curves are linear and the dynamic range is at least 1000-fold. Because of the properties of the europium label and the simple assay design, the immunoassays based on time-resolved fluorescence are expected to gain wide application both in research and in routine determinations.

Competitive solid-phase immunoassay of testosterone using time-resolved fluorescence.

A competitive solid-phase immunoassay for the determination of testosterone in serum samples using time-resolved fluorescence is described. The solid phase is a testosterone-3-(O-carboxymethyl)-oxime-ovalbumin conjugate coated to polystyrene microtiter strips. Europium-labelled polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies against testosterone-3-(O-carboxymethyl)-oxime-bovine serum albumin were compared. Their behavior was quite similar although the polyclonal antibody was more sensitive, giving a detection limit of 15 fmol testosterone per assay. Correlation with RIA was very good (r = 0.982 and y = -0.150 + 0.969x).

Purification and characterization of human pancreatic phospholipase A2.

We purified human pancreatic phospholipase A2 from postmortem pancreatic tissue by elution of the semi-purified enzyme on CM-Sephadex C-25 with a linear NaCl gradient at pH 6.0. The enzyme appeared as a single polypeptide chain with an isoelectric point of 9.2 +/- 0.1. The relative molecular mass of the enzyme was estimated to be 15 800 +/- 1000 by sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme is resistant to heating and to a 25 g/L concentration of sodium dodecyl sulfate. It is inhibited by Ca2+ ions in the presence of ovolecithin and deoxycholate. By immunohistochemical methods we showed the enzyme to be localized in the apical zymogen granule portion of pancreatic acinar cells.

Time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay of human pancreatic phospholipase A2.

We describe an immunofluorometric assay for human pancreatic phospholipase A2 based on time-resolved fluorescence. The labeled antibody technique in combination with the time-resolved 1-s fluorometric detection of the europium label, which essentially eliminates all background fluorescence, resulted in a high sensitivity (20 ng/L) and a wide (5000-fold) linear range. Nonspecific binding was minimized by treating the solid-phase antibody with NaSCN before coating, to remove endogenous antigen, and by immunosorbent purification of the antibody before labeling with europium. This is a one-incubation, multi-site, solid-phase assay on polystyrene microtiter strips, even though a polyclonal antibody was used. As measured by this assay, activity of immunoreactive phospholipase A2 was found to be above normal in sera of patients suffering from acute pancreatitis.