Mouse lymphosarcomas sensitive and resistant to cyclophosphamide therapy: activity of cathepsins B, L, and D during various schemes of treatment with cyclophosphamide and SE-glycan.

We measured activities of cysteine (cathepsins B and L) and aspartyl proteinases (cathepsin D) in tumor tissue of mice with sensitive and resistant lymphosarcomas. In cyclophosphamide-resistant lymphosarcoma tissue activities of cathepsins B, L, and D were lower than in cyclophosphamide-sensitive lymphosarcoma. After treatment with cyclophosphamide in high doses enzyme activities in mice with cyclophosphamide-resistant lymphosarcoma increased more significantly than in animals with cyclophosphamide-sensitive lymphosarcoma.

Activity and concentration of cathepsin B as prognostic criteria for the development of mouse LS lymphosarcoma and Lewis lung adenocarcinoma.

We measured activity and content of cathepsin B in tumor tissues, liver, and spleen in mice with Lewis adenocarcinoma and LS-lymphosarcoma. Cathepsin B activity in Lewis adenocarcinoma cells was lower than in LS-lymphosarcoma cells, which was probably related to differences in their metastatic properties. Antitumor therapy increased activity and content of cathepsin B in tumor tissues.

[Protective effect of a beta-1,3-carboxymethylglucan in acute massive blood loss].

Experiments were performed on CBA mice to study the effect of intravenous injections of beta-1,3-f-carboxymethylglucan (Bratislava, Slovakia) during acute massive blood loss (50% of the total blood volume). Two different fractions were used in doses of 25 mg/kg of body weight. The first fraction (semisoluble, its molecular weight being about 10(6)) was shown to have a potent protective effect when it was injected 24 h before blood loss.

[Structure and various characteristics of yeast beta-D-glucans].

Yeast cell wall contains mainly polysaccharides. Among them beta-1,3-D-glucans play role of the skeletal carcass of the yeast cell wall, while D-mannans represent its surface antigens. Mannans are built of alpha-1,6-linked polymannosyl backbone with the side chains consisting of alpha-1,2- and alpha-1,3-linked mannosyl units.