Biotinylation sites of tumor necrosis factor-alpha determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Tumor pretargeting with biotinylated antibody/avidin complexes improves the therapeutic index of systemically administered biotin-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) conjugates. Since the number of biotins in this conjugate is known to be critical for activity, we have characterized the structure of different biotin-TNF conjugates, prepared by reaction with d-biotinyl-6-aminocaproic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester and identified the biotinylation sites by trypsin digestion, reverse-phase chromatography, and electrospray mass spectrometry analyses. The results have shown that N-terminal valine is a preferential biotinylation site at pH 5.

Identification of sulfonylureas in serum by electrospray mass spectrometry.

Identification of sulfonylureas in serum is important in the diagnosis of hypoglycemic crisis of unknown origin. Methods based on HPLC with UV or fluorescence detection may give false positive results. Mass spectrometry may successfully avoid this problem.

[Forced expiration. Various current concepts, 50 years after Robert Tiffeneau].

One hundred and fifty years after the original description of spirometry by Hutchinson and 50 years after the definition of his famous ratio by Tiffeneau, a certain number of physiological advances have enabled a better understanding of the determinants of the forced expired manoeuvre and to mitigate some of its inconveniences. This review focuses on three of these advances. The first is the influence of an inspiratory manoeuvre which precedes a forced expiration, on the expiratory flow.

Bronchial responsiveness and airway inflammation in patients with nonallergic rhinitis with eosinophilia syndrome.

Background: Nonallergic rhinitis with eosinophilia syndrome (NARES) is characterized by persistent nasal symptoms without allergy and by a marked eosinophil recruitment in the nasal cavities.

Objective: We studied whether patients with NARES had bronchial responsiveness to methacholine and airway inflammation and examined the relationship between these factors.

Methods: We selected a group of 39 patients referred to our allergy clinic for symptoms of perennial rhinitis.

Eosinophils, mast cells, and basophils in induced sputum from patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis and perennial asthma: relationship to methacholine responsiveness.

Objectives: We attempted to determine whether inflammation is present in induced sputum of patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis (AR) as compared with those with perennial asthma (AS) and examined its relationship with bronchial responsiveness to methacholine.

Methods: Sputum was induced in 30 patients with seasonal rhinitis in response to grass pollens only and in 15 patients with stable, asymptomatic asthma. The AR group was divided according to methacholine PD20 value: the AR- group (n = 15) had a methacholine PD20 greater than 24 micromol; the AR+ group (n = 15) had a methacholine PD20 ranging between 2.