R. J. Ablin

Evaluation of the freeze-thaw alteration of rabbit male urogenital tissue antigens by double diffusion gel precipitation*

Summary Preliminary double diffusion gel precipitation studies of guinea pig antisera to antigens of rabbit male accessory glands tissues of reproduction have been successful in demonstrating in vitro freeze-thaw induced alterations of these antigens. Freeze-thaw treatment of these antigens in the presence of the alkylating reagent iodoacetamide resulted in the formation of a precipitate which proved to be refractory to solubilization in 6 m urea or 0.2 m mercaptoethanol, or in a combination of both. The possible mechanisms involved in these alterations are discussed.

Elution of cell-bound anti-prostatic epithelial antibodies after multiple cryotherapy of carcinoma of the prostate

Abstract Antibodies reactive with the cytoplasmic membrane or intercellular areas of autologous human and monkey prostatic secretory epithelial cells have been demonstrated by immunofluorescence in an eluate prepared from prostatic tissue obtained from a patient with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate (CaP) after multiple cryotherapy of his primary prostatic tumour. While limited to the study of one patient, elution of anti-prostatic antibodies offers further documentation to previous studies pointing toward the participation of immunologic processes in CaP.

The prognostic value of carcinoembryonic antigen in carcinoma of the prostate

SummarySeventy-six patients with carcinoma of the prostate had 392 serial plasma carcinoembryonic antigen determinations performed over a 15 month interval in an attempt to determine the prognostic value of this test.-Sixteen of the 28 patients with decreasing serial CEA levels had active disease and nineteen of the 31 patients with rising serial CEA level had inactive disease. No difference in CEA patterns was seen in patients undergoing various types of therapy.-It does not appear that plasma CEA as presently constituted is an accurate prognostic test for the follow-up of carcinoma of the prostate.

Lipofuscin granules in normal, benign and malignant human prostatic tissue

SummaryConfirmation and extension of the identification and variation of the frequency of lipofuscin granules in sections of specimens of normal, benign and malignant human prostatic tissue by fluorescent microscopy was obtained. However, the suggestion of the possible relationship between the presence of these granules and alterations in the metabolic processes within the prostate occuring in consequence of senescence and/or disease-specific factors is perhaps somewhat questionable as cellular and structural variations ranging from the benign to the most anaplastic were frequently observed in the same microscopic section.

Immunosuppressive effect of estrogen on thymic dependent lymphocytic blastogenesis

SummarySuppression of thein vitro blastogenic stimulation of thymic dependent lymphocytes (T-cells) from healthy adult males in the presence of diethylstilbestrol diphosphate suggests that further investigation of estrogenic hormones as potential immunosuppressants in selected instances is warranted. Furthermore, preliminary evidence of the suppression of blastogenesis of T-cells in the presence of autologous serum from patients with prostatic cancer receiving hormonal therapy suggests that the palliative effects of such endocrine manipulation may be countered by impairment of these patients cell-mediated immunologic responsiveness to their malignancy.

Effect of hormone therapy on immune response in patients with prostatic cancer

Thirty-one patients with adenocarcinoma of the prostate had laboratory studies done for total proteins, serum immunoglobulins, white blood cell counts, lymphocyte blastogenesis, skin tests, acid phosphatase, and CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen). The 16 patients receiving no hormones had depressed total proteins, lymphocyte and monocyte counts, skin tests, and CEA compared with the 15 patients receiving hromones who had depressed serum immunoglobulins, white blood cell counts, lymphocyte blastogenesis, and acid phosphatase.