Radioimmunodetection of neuroblastoma cells with I-131-radiolabelled antibodies.

The murine anti-neuroblastoma monoclonal antibodies 15/7 and 19/1/4 should be tested for specific radiolocalization of neuroblastoma by immunoscintigraphic imaging of this tumour growing in mice. Radioiodination of both antibodies was done by chloramine-T method resulted in an immunoreactivity of 75%. The calculated specific activity varied from 51.1 to 126.2 kBq/microgram IgG. In each case, about 500 kBq of labeled antibodies were intraperitoneally injected into human neuroblastoma (SK-N-MC, SK-PN-DW and IMR 5) xenografted severe complete immunodeficient (SCID) mice. Whole-body scintigraphy was performed daily by a scintiscanner to localize the tumour site. After last scanning principal organs were removed and their I-131-uptake was determined by measuring the impulse rate. The best scintigrams were done with I-131-19/1/4 at the second day after antibody injection. Radioconjugates were accumulated at highest in the tumour at the third day after application of 15/7 and 19/1/4 with a tumour uptake of 0.4 and 2.2 per cent of injected dose per gram (%ID/g), respectively. The 15/7-moAbs was accumulated approximately 9-fold higher in the SK-N-MC and SK-PN-DW grafts than in principal organs, whereas the tumour/non-tumour-ratio of the 19/1/4 moAb was 3:1. The results indicate the efficacy of these two neuroblastoma antibodies in radiolabelling and their usefulness for tumour imaging of neuroblastoma engrafted SCID-mice.

Clinical evaluation of a new dialyzer, FLX-12 GW, with a polyester-polymer alloy membrane.

The performance of a membrane in renal failure therapy is determined by its structure, its overall mass transfer properties, and its blood compatibility. In this regard, removal of beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2M) has become a major objective of dialysis therapy. In the present study, a newly developed high-flux membrane composed of a polyester-polymer alloy (PEPA) with the components of polyarylate and polyethersulfone (dialyzer FLX-12 GW; Nikkiso Co., Japan) has been evaluated with regard to both biocompatibility and elimination capacity for beta 2M during hemodialysis of 8 stable chronic uremic patients. The clearance values of low molecular weight solutes were in the same range as those reported for high-flux dialyzers of comparable surface area. There was no drop in leukocyte counts and only a minimal fall in platelet counts nearly in the same range as has been observed by other investigators using polyamide membrane. C3a Des Arg generation was low, and C5a Des Arg formation was not significantly influenced. There was a sharp drop in the serum beta 2M level (-35%) during dialysis with a clearance between 59.7 +/- 5.6 ml/min (QB 200 ml/min) and 70.1 +/- 9.7 ml/min (QB 300 ml/min), respectively. Accordingly, the sieving coefficient was calculated to be 0.2 at 30 min after start of dialysis and 0.6 1 h later. The membrane was able to remove 184.0 +/- 22.3 mg/4 h due to an apparent rate of adsorption during the first hour of treatment in combination with high transmembrane transfer in the following time.

Contrasting renal haemodynamic effects of protein in normal subjects and glomerulonephritic patients with impaired renal function.

The effects of a protein load on renal haemodynamics in patients with renal failure are controversial. We measured insulin clearance (Cin) and PAH clearance (CPAH) by constant infusion technique in six healthy subjects and 13 patients with biopsy-confirmed glomerulonephritis and chronic renal failure. The subjects were pre-equilibrated on their usual diet and studied before and 2 h after 1 g protein/kg as cooked red meat. In healthy subjects this caused a significant increase of Cin (from 136 +/- 7.2 (SD) to 148 +/- 7.9 ml/min/1.73 m2) and of CPAH (from 547 +/- 142 to 639 +/- 89). In contrast Cin decreased from 72.7 +/- 7.7 to 60.3 +/- 8.4 in patients with chronic renal failure, whereas CPAH showed no significant change (from 275 +/- 67.8 to 278 +/- 72.7). A similar decrease of Cin was also seen with acute infusion of amino acids (AA). The change in Cin was not related to changes of PRA or concentrations of plasma amino acids. While absolute and fractional Na excretion increased in controls, they decreased in patients in parallel with the decrease of Cin. The decrease of Cin after infusion of AA was amplified by pre-equilibration on low-sodium diet (20 mmol Na/day). The effect of meat ingestion on Cin was not obliterated, however, by pretreatment with captopril (25 mg b.i.d. for 7 days). In conclusion, in patients with chronic renal failure, a paradoxical decrease in Cin is seen both after oral protein and after amino-acid infusion.

[Clinical significance of beta 2 microglobulin determination in dialysis patients]. / Klinische Bedeutung der beta 2-Mikroglobulin-Bestimmung (beta 2-M) bei Dialysepatienten.

In radioimmunological estimation of beta 2-microglobulin significant higher serum values were found in 36 dialysis patients (44.4 +/- 20.3 mg/l) in comparison with healthy probands (1.5 +/- 0.2 mg/l). A significant relation to the duration of dialysis, rest diuresis and serum level of aluminium was found. Significant higher concentrations were observed in patients suffering from pain in the shoulder-limb-region and with ostealgia in other regions, but not in radiological verified destructive arthropathy and spondylarthropathy. The used dialyzers MLW 1.3/1.8 m2 did not eliminate the beta 2-microglobulin from the blood.