Steven C. Harris

Bacillus Calmette-Guerin immunotherapy of superficial bladder cancer.

Thirty-seven patients were enrolled in a randomized prospective study to compare standard surgical therapy for superficial bladder cancer to standard therapy plus bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). Side effects of BCG have been tolerated well and include dysuria in 95 per cent of the patients, urinary frequency in 83 per cent, hematuria in 39 per cent, fever in 22 per cent and nausea in 22 per cent. Of 19 control patients 8 (42 per cent) had recurrent tumors in the followup period, compared to 3 of 18 patients (17 per cent) treated with BCG. One patient treated wih BCG had 2 recurrences, yielding a recurrence rate of 22 per cent in the group receiving BCG compared to 42 per cent in controls. When the incidence of recurrent tumors in matched intervals before and after entry into the protocol is compared, no change in the rate of tumor recurrence (p equals 0.726 chi-square) occurred in controls, whereas tumor recurrences were reduced significantly in the group treated with BCG (p equals 0.010 chi-square). The reduction in tumor recurrence in patients treated with BCG compared to controls is statistically significant (p equals 0.029 chi-square). Of 4 patients who presented with new bladder tumors remain free of tumor after BCG therapy, while 2 of 5 comparable control patients developed recurrent tumors. Intravesical and percutaneous BCG immunotherapy appears to decrease the rate of tumor recurrence in patients followed for 1 year.

Concomitant transfer of BCG-CW and canine virus antibodies from dams to pups.

Abstract Levels of antibodies against infectious canine hepatitis virus (ICHV) and Bacillus Calmette-Guerin cell wall (BCG-CW) antigens in sera from BCG-CW inoculated dams, uninoculated dams, neonate pups in litters born to these dams and normal female dogs were measured by solid phase bead-type radioimmunoassay (SBRIA) tests. Significantly higher levels of antibodies reactive with BCG-CW, but not ICHV, antigens were found in the sera from two day old pups born to BCG-CW inoculated, ICHV-immune dams than in sera from two day old pups born to ICHV-immune dams not inoculated with BCG-CW. These results demonstrate that maternal antibodies against antigens of a non-viable immunotherapeutically active preparation (BCG-CW), and against antigens of ICHV, a canine virus routinely used in vaccines, can be passively transferred from dams to newborn pups.

Incidence of Cocaine Metabolites in Urine Specimens from Medical Examiners' Cases

Isobutane CIMS is useful for determining the molecular weight of morphine and its derivatives, as well as for identifying labile acyl substituents on morphines O-6 position. Furthermore, this technique will provide information relating to the presence or absence of pi-bonding on the C-7 carbon. The spectra of morphine derivatives can be further simplified by employing ethylenediamine as a reagent gas. This approach proves useful for eliciting or confirming molecular weight information from the CI spectrum. In our laboratory extended use of ethylenediamine has been accomplished without any deleterious effect on the mass spectrometers source or its vacuum system. The utility of isobutane and ethylenediamine CI rests with its ability to supply the analyst with structure elucidation data that may be used to complement more detailed information extractable from either EI or CE spectra. This aspect of mass spectrometry is especially useful when one is dealing with an unknown member of a particular class of organic compounds.

Assessment of cell-mediated immunity in the rat utilizing the agarose-droplet cell-migration-inhibition correlate of delayed-type hypersensitivity.

Abstract The agarose-droplet cell-migration-inhibition assay was developed for measuring specific cell-mediated immunity in rats. Fischer #344 female rats were sensitized to mono(p-azobenzene-arsonate)-N-chloroacetyl-L-tyrosine (ARSNAT), keyhole-limpet-hemocyanin (KLH), or a BCG cell wall preparation. The optimal conditions for assay were determined by testing varying concentrations of antigens against normal and sensitized peritoneal exudate cells induced with 5% thioglycolate medium. Specific cell-mediated immunity to each of three different antigens was detected, which correlated with skin tests observed in vivo . Our adaptation of the agarose-droplet assay should provide a useful model for studying other aspects of cell-mediated and/or tumor immunity in the rat.

Lung injury induced by mycobacterial cell walls: Effects on connective tissue

Abstract Intravenous injection of cell walls from Mycobacterium bovis strain BCG results in increased lung mass in the rat 4 months after injection. Histologically, there is a simultaneous increase in interstitial material and the formation of granulomata. The granulomata do not show increased staining for collagen by a trichrome stain. Prominent reticulin is present in the granulomata as shown by a silver stain. Lung dry weight is significantly increased 4 months after the injection of 300 μg cell walls; the total amount of collagen is significantly increased, but its concentration (amount per mg dry weight) is similar to that of controls. At 6 months, lung collagen amounts in BCG-treated animals are not significantly different from those of controls. By 10 months the granulomata largely disappear, lung architecture returns to normal, and lung collagen amounts are at control levels. In this model of lung injury, increases in lung connective tissue proteins are not selective and they do not persist as the lung returns to normal histologically.