Robert Schrek

Tobacco Smoking as an Etiologic Factor in Disease: 2. Coponary Disease and Hypertension

The role of tobacco smoking in the production of disease has been the subject of numerous investigations. Most studies have been concerned with clinical and laboratory observations of the transitory results of smoking or nicotine administration. There have been few well controlled investigations of the long-term effects of smoking on the cardiovascular system. The results of these studies have been contradictory and the conclusions oftentimes speculative. This report is a statistical analysis of the smoking habits of patients with hypertension and coronary disease compared to those of a carefully selected control group.

Surface immunoglobulins of lymphocytes in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and disseminated lymphosarcoma.

Abstract Immunofluorescent staining was used to study the incidence of heavy and light chain determinants on the surface of blood lymphocytes from nine normal individuals, fourteen patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), seven patients with lymphosarcoma cell leukemia (LSL), and one hairy cell leukemia. In CLL, 46% of the lymphocytes stained for the μ chain component of the IgM immunoglobulin; this finding suggests a clonal lymphocytic population. In contrast, the surface immunoglobulins in LSL showed a preponderance of both γ and μ chains. The concomitant distribution of both heavy chain molecules on the same lymphocyte was further shown by double fluorescent staining. These results support the hypothesis that CLL and LSL are distinct lymphoproliferative disorders and that they arise from two different types of lymphocytes.

Color Test to Measure the Toxicity of Adrenal Cortex Hormones to Lymphocytes.

Summary Suspensions of living lymphocytes decolorize the oxidation-reduction indicator, 2,6 dichlorophenol indophenol. This reduction was inhibited by the cytotoxic agents, lipo-adrenal cortex, cortisone, nitrogen mustard and x-rays but was not affected by desoxycorticosterone. The method was used to titrate lipo-adrenal cortex, the titer being .00,08 rat unit. This color test seemed to be a convenient method for demonstrating and measuring the toxicity of the adrenal cortex hormones to lymphocytes.

Cytology and colchicine sensitivity of viable cells from lymph nodes with malignant lymphoma

Viable cell suspensions were prepared from 31 nodes diagnosed non‐Hodgkins malignant lymphoma, and from 30 non‐malignant nodes. The cells were examined and counted by phase contrast microscopy. The suspensions were characterized by the percentage of large cells and by a colchicine‐sensitivity index. The finding of more than 6% large cells or the finding of a sensitivity index of more than 30% was considered a positive test for a malignant lymphoma. According to these criteria there were 2 false positives in 30 reactive nodes and one false negative in 31 malignant nodes. Findings on 3 nodes diagnosed angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy sugested malignancy. The colchicine‐sensitivity index of blood lymphocytes seemed useful for monitoring lymphoma patients for leukemic involvement.

Toxicity of microtubular drugs to leukemic lymphocytes

Abstract The work was designed to test the hypothesis that the cytocidal action of vincristine and colchicine on nondividing leukemic lymphocytes is due to the action of the alkaloids on the microtubules of the cells. Lymphocytes from normal persons and from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia were incubated with microtubular reagents and viable lymphocyte counts were made by phase-contrast microscopy before and after incubation. Nondividing leukemic lymphocytes were found to be more sensitive than normal lymphocytes, not only to vincristine and colchicine, but also to vinblastine, podophyllotoxin, maytansine, oncodazole, and 2-methoxy(trimethoxyphenyl)tropone, all of which arrest mitotic cells in metaphase by combining with tubulin, the subunit of microtubular protein. Griseofulvin, which combines with microtubular associated proteins, was not toxic to leukemic lymphocytes. D 2 O which stabilizes microtubules, protected leukemic lymphocytes from colchicine and podophyllotoxin, but not from vincristine. Lumicolchicine, an analog of colchicine, does not disrupt microtubules and was not toxic to leukemic lymphocytes. These findings are consistent with the proposed hypothesis.