New classes of carborane-appended 5-thio-D-glucopyranose derivatives.

A series of carborane-appended 5-thio-D-glucopyranose (5-TDGP) derivatives containing one to two 5-TDGP moieties were synthesized via click cycloaddition reaction as well as following the traditional methods. Among the carboranyl-5-TDGP derivatives, the decapitated nido-carboranyl derivative 18 was found to be highly water-soluble and therefore its preliminary biodistribution study was conducted. A comparative biological evaluation of 18 versus its carboranyl-D-glucopyranose analog 19 with human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (SK-Hep1) indicated 5-TDGP to be a better boron carrier than normal D-glucopyranose.

Boron neutron capture in prostate cancer cells.

A modified enhanced thermal neutron beam (METNB) assembly at Fermilab was used to irradiate borylphenylalanine (BPA) treated human prostate cancer cells, DU 145. Acceptable cellular uptake levels of BPA and no BPA cytotoxicity were observed. In the absence of BPA, the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of the METNB was determined to be 2.

Contemporary management of renal trauma.

The genitourinary tract is frequently involved in various types of trauma to the chest, abdomen and pelvis. Genitourinary trauma is typically divided into upper tract trauma and lower tract trauma. Upper tract trauma involves injury to kidney and ureter while lower tract trauma typically involves bladder or urethral injury.

Evaluation of a new serum testing method for detection of prostate cancer.

Purpose: Serum prostate specific antigen is a highly specific test for diseases of the prostate gland but it is not specific for prostate cancer, which can lead to unnecessary biopsies. In an effort to find a more specific test, a new testing method for detecting prostate cancer based on deglycosylation of cell surface proteins and subsequent antibody formation in patients with prostate cancer was evaluated. In addition, antibody generation against the peptide fragments chosen to represent the cell surface proteins was determined to be cancer associated, cancer specific or not related to prostate cancer.