Prospective study on the relationship between cervical neoplasia and herpes simplex type-2 virus. II. Herpes simplex type-2 antibody presence in sera taken at enrollment.

Sera obtained at enrollment in the study from patients suffering from moderate to sever dysplasia (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade II), carcinoma in situ (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade III) and invasive carcinoma, or developing any of these conditions in the course of the prospective study, and from control subjects, were examined for herpes simplex type-2 (HSV-2) antibody presence. The controls were matched with the patients by age, age at first intercourse, number of sexual partners, smoking habits and history of diathermoelectrocoagulation of the ectopic epithelium and transformation zone of cervix. Only those subjects were selected as controls who remained free of pathological colposcopical and cytological findings throughout the observation period, i.

Presence of Epstein-Barr virus DNA in tonsillar tissues.

Sera from 48 tonsillar carcinoma (TC) patients, 48 matched controls and 16 recurrent exudative tonsillitis (RET) patients were examined for the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) associated nuclear antigen (EBNA), early antigen (EA) and virus capsid antigen (VCA). Higher prevalence and significantly higher antibody titres against all three EBV-associated antigens were observed in TC patients in comparison with controls and RET patients. Patients suffering from anaplastic TC had higher titres of antibodies against VCA and EA than TC patients with other histological diagnoses.

Production and some properties of neutralizing antigens of herpes simplex virus.

Human diploid cells (LEP) infected with herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 were extracted by treatment with Nonidet P-40. The content of antigens reactive with neutralizing antibody in the clarified extract was measured by the blocking test. Influence of various factors on the production of the blocking antigens (BA) was tested.

Biochemical characteristics of collagen produced by long term cultivated amniotic fluid cells.

The synthesis of the most common type I of collagen was proven in human amniotic fluid cell culture with fibroblast morphology in the cells as well as in the culture medium. Mesenchymal origin of long term cultivated amniotic fluid cells is indicated and the possibility of prenatal investigation of hereditary disorders of connective tissue is pointed out.

Thymidine-kinase in cytomegalovirus infected cells.

In human diploid fibroblast LEP cells infected with AD169 strain of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) a sharp increase of cytosol thymidine kinase activity was observed. The properties of the cytosol enzymes from infected and non-infected cells were compared. No significant differences between the enzymes from infected and control cells were observed in substrate specificity, pH dependence, thermostability and relative electrophoretic mobility.

Biosynthesis of collagen during the life cycle of human diploid cell lines.

In the course of the active phase of growth collagen synthesis appears relatively stable and decreases when the culture passes into the degenerative phase III. The increase of cell nitrogen indicates the increasing accumulation of cell proteins with their aging in vitro. The ratio of soluble to insoluble collagen is relatively constant in fibroblast cultures from different tissues, periods of development during the active phase of growth.

Creatinephosphokinase in human diploid cell lines.

The activity of CPK was proved in cultivated cells from amniotic fluid cells, thymus, spleen, pericardium, umbilical cord, skin and muscle. The activity in these strains did not significantly differ. The average value is 224 plus or minus 68 i.

The nature of adenovirus persistence in human adenoid vegetations.

Ninety-seven adenoid vegetations (AV) originating from children aged 2 to 11 years were examined for the presence of adenoviruses. No infectious virus was detected in cell-free homogenates. However, adenovirus was recovered in 30 instances from either fragment or trypsinized cell cultures, or both, of the same tissues.