Immunopharmacological activity of monoclonal antidigitoxin.

A monoclonal antibody specific to digitoxin was developed and Fab fragments were prepared using the conventional papain method. The affinity constant was determined as 10(9)M-1 and the cross reactivity with digoxin was 2%. The Fab fragments were used for the reversal of acute digitoxin poisoning in rabbits (100% mortality).

Specificity of the phase I trial for cytotoxic drugs in oncology.

The phase I trial in oncology follows a very different methodology than in other areas of medicine. Its main objective is the identification of the maximal tolerated dose with short and middle range toxicity limits. In general the therapeutic index of anticancer drugs is narrow and the efficacy of drugs is closely associated with their toxic range: specially hematologic.

[Fluorine-19 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy: a privileged tool for the study of the metabolism and pharmacokinetics of fluoropyrimidines].

This review reports on the various studies using fluorine-19 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (19F NMR) to study the metabolism of antineoplastic or antifungal fluoropyrimidines. It is divided into 2 parts: the first examines ex vivo studies, ie, of biofluids or excised tissue samples from patients. In vivo studies, ie where the biotransformation of the drug is followed by non-invasively both in animals and in humans, are described in the second part.

96-hour continuous infusion of cis-platinum, 5-fluorouracil and bleomycin in recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, unexpected anemia.

Cis-platinum, 5-fluorouracil and bleomycin are active agents in head and neck SCC. When given by continuous infusion (C.I.

Fc fragment from human IgG induces PGE2 secretion. II. Negative regulation in B cell differentiation.

In humans, in vitro, Fc fragment of IgG at a low concentration induces plasma cell generation. However, Fc fragment at a high concentration induces PGE2 release of monocyte activation capable of inhibiting this differentiation. The levels of PGE2 in the supernatant culture from mononuclear cells from normal donors were examined as a function of culture duration and concentration of Fc, Fab fragments and IgG.

Undifferentiated carcinoma of nasopharyngeal type of tonsil.

A review of 2262 squamous cell carcinomas of the tonsillar region seen at the Institut Gustave-Roussy, Villejuif, France, from 1970 to 1986 showed 1837 well- and poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinomas and 425 undifferentiated squamous cell carcinomas. Eighteen patients with undifferentiated squamous cell carcinomas presented histologic characteristics of undifferentiated carcinomas of nasopharyngeal type. Radiosensibility and radiocurability (complete sterilization with 70 Gy administered) was found in this group with an excellent long-term control of local disease (77% at 10 years actuarial).

Phase II trial of idarubicin (4-demethoxydaunorubicin) in advanced breast cancer. The Clinical Screening Group of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer.

A phase II trial of idarubicin (IDR-4 demethoxydaunorubicin) was carried out in patients with advanced breast cancer. A dose of 45 mg/m2 was given orally once every 3 weeks. A total of 66 eligible patients were entered into the trial, 56 of whom were evaluable for response (65 were evaluable for toxicity at least).

Mucocutaneous side effects of Brequinar sodium. A new inhibitor of pyrimidine de novo biosynthesis.

Brequinar sodium (NSC 368390; DUP 785) is a new inhibitor of pyrimidine de novo biosynthesis which has completed Phase I clinical trials within the framework of the Early Clinical Trials Group of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC). The main side effects of this compound are myelosuppression, nausea and vomiting, stomatitis and/or mucositis, and skin rash. In this report, the authors describe the pattern of mucocutaneous side effects of Brequinar sodium in patients who received the drug by four different schedules: (1) short-term intravenous (IV) infusion every 3 weeks; (2) weekly; (3) twice weekly; and (4) five times daily every 4 weeks.

A new anticancer agent (LY186641) interferes with creatinine assay.

The administration of a diarylsulfonylurea, LY186641, which is presently undergoing a multicentric phase I clinical trial as an anticancer agent, produces major analytical interference with commonly used creatinine analysis techniques. We confirm that this interference is caused by a metabolite rather than the parent compound and propose an alternative, interference-free method.

Phase II study of mitozolomide (M & B 39,565) in head and neck cancer.

Nineteen patients with advanced head and neck cancer were given mitozolomide (MTZ), i.v. infusion, every 6 weeks.

Phase II study of mitozolomide (M & B 39,565) in colorectal and breast cancer.

Twenty-two patients with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) (12 without prior chemotherapy) and fourteen with pretreated breast cancer (BC) were given mitozolomide (MTZ), IV infusion, every six weeks. The starting dose was 90 mg/m2. When it was well-tolerated, dose escalation was done up to 100-115 mg/m2.

Acellular pertussis vaccines: evaluation of reversion in a nude mouse model.

An animal model has been developed to assess the safety of acellular pertussis vaccines in terms of reversion to toxicity. Adsorbed pertussis toxoid preparations, alone or combined in a DTP formulation, were administered to nude mice intraperitoneally. In parallel, groups of positive and negative control mice received pertussis toxin and buffer, respectively.

Human B-cell differentiation by Fc fragment of IgG. I. Fc fragment from human IgG induces plasma cell generation but cannot induce lymphocyte proliferation.

Circulating mononuclear cells (MNC) from normal donors were examined for lymphocyte proliferation and plasma cell differentiation following stimulation by Fc and Fab fragments or by intact IgG. Lymphocyte differentiation and DNA synthesis were examined as a function of culture duration and concentration of Fc, Fab fragments, and IgG. Plasma cells containing intracytoplasmic Ig were demonstrated by immunofluorescence with a polyvalent antiserum to human immunoglobulin and with specific antisera (anti-mu, -gamma, -alpha, -delta, -kappa, and -lambda chains).

[The 48,XXXX syndrome: study of psychomotor development from birth to 11 years of age and review of the literature].

A child with four X chromosomes is described. This case and the literature review allow to underline the mental retardation and some other "major" but inconstant signs that are extremely helpful for the early clinical diagnosis. They are hypertelorism, epicanthal fold and genital anomalies.

19F NMR spectrometry evidence for bile acid conjugates of alpha-fluoro-beta-alanine as the main biliary metabolites of antineoplastic fluoropyrimidines in humans.

The human biliary excretion of antineoplastic fluoropyrimidines was studied using 19F NMR. This method allows a direct detection of all the fluorinated metabolites of a fluorinated drug and requires no labeled compound. From a patient with an external bile derivation, treated with 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (5'dFUrd), the biliary excretion of 5'dFUrd metabolites was low (0.