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Leucocytes from normal donors and leukemia patients were isolated and lebelled in vitro with 32P-orthophosphate in order to compare labelling characteristics of nuclear high-molecular weight RNA, labelling characteristics, nucleotide compositions and oligonucleotide frequencies of ribosomal 28 S RNA. These studies revealed 1. structural microheterogeneity of 28 S RNA between the various leukemia cells studies without presenting a leukemia-specific structural marker, 2. an impaired production of ribosomal 28 S RNA from its nuclear precursor 45 S RNA in acute myeloblastic leukemia compared to PHA-stimulated normal lymphocytes. In the second part of this work, the influence of RNA from immunocompetent lymphocytes on the PHA-stimulation of M. Hodgkin lymphocytes was analyzed; the third part deals with studies on macromolecular carriers forcytostatic anthracyclines in human leukemia cells.

The present paper refers to statistically ensured normal values of cytochemical findings in leukocytes of the peripheral blood, of the leukocytes concentrate and the bone-marrow which were obtained in determining the activity of peroxydase, alkaline and acid phosphatase as well as the content of polysaccharides and lipids in 814 healthy persons of various age and sex. The data were calculated according to the formulae of Astaldi and Verga [2].

Neutral glycosphingolipids of human myeloid leukemia cells in different differentiation stages from nine patients were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. All cells contained ceramide monohexoside, lactosylceramide and neutral glycosphingolipids of the lacto-series. However, some of the leukemic cells contained neutral glycosphingolipids of the globo-series. Especially myelomonocytic cells (French-American-British or FAB classification M4) and poorly differentiated cells (FAB M0 and M1) were found to contain globo glycosphingolipids. On myeloblast cells, (FAB M2), globo glycosphingolipids were missing or present only in very low amounts. It seemed, therefore, that on myeloid leukemic cells the glycosphingolipid composition may be dependent on their differentiation stage.

Patients undergoing maintenance haemodialysis exhibited at a regular level of ascorbic acid in plasma a decreased concentration of ascorbic acid in leukocytes. Therefore, the ascorbic acid should be administered in a high dosage to patients undergoing chronic haemodialysis, in order to prevent a vitamin-C deficiency in leukocytes.

Assessment of the value of test strips for demonstration of white cells in urine (Cytur-test) in 161 out-patient urine samples showed that a quick method such as the Cytur-test is no substitute for conventional methods. In hospital nephrology out-patients methods such as the Addis count or the investigation of urine sediment cannot be replaced. However, in a preliminary test with test strips information can be obtained as to the white cell content of the urine. Samples from patients in whom Addis count or sediment results showed no pathological leucocyturia, also had negative results in the test strip in a high percentage (84 out of 88 cases). A positive Cytur-test indicates lysed white cells in such cases (4 out of 88 cases). Due to the different sensitivity, as a consequence of a wider negative range, the Cytur-test resulted in fewer positive findings when compared to the other methods: 6 out of 24 in the Addis count and 2 out of 11 in urinary sediment.

We report a 5 1/2-year-old girl whose clinical symptoms are consistent with diagnosis of the cat-eye syndrome. The prominent symptoms are: anal stenosis, preauricular tags and pits, coloboma of the iris, doubling of the pelvis and ureter on both sides, vesicourethral reflux on the right side and normal mental development. Leucocyte alkaline phosphatase is normal. Chromosomal analysis shows a supernumerary submetacentric chromosome. This extra chromosome is smaller than the G-group chromosomes and has satellites on the short and long arms. Autoradiography after 3H-thymidine incorporation shows a late-labeling marker chromosome. After using the Giemsa-banding technique, the chromatides demonstrate dark bandings with only soft, unstained satellites. With the fluorescence method, one can see spotlike fluorescence of the satellites on both arms and diffuse fluorescence of the hetero-chromatic segments. In addition, the C-bandings demonstrate a homogeneous dark staining of the chromatids, but we did not find stained satellites. Using the Giemsa-11 technique one can see the 47th chromosome with predominantly heterochromatic parts, but small euchromatic segments are visible between them. Satellites are unstained. Using currently accepted cytogenetical methods, it is not possible to identify the origin of this supernumerary marker chromosome.

Recent findings of thromboplastin (TRPL) investigations are presented in a brief survey. After enumerating the possibilities of separating this lipoprotein into two shares, the chemical characterization of protein and lipid fraction is represented, the possibilities and conditions of recombining both shares are mentioned and the effectiveness of TRPL in the exogenous coagulation system is illustrated. Furthermore, the liberation of TRPL by leukocytes is referred to and feasible mechanisms of this liberation are discussed. Finally the relations of TRPL to tumour cell materials promoting coagulation and from amnion liquid are discussed.

Evidence on the action mechanisms of gold salts in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is still inconclusive. The intracellular localization of the place of action is likely. Therefore not only the serum gold levels but also the intracellular concentration of gold are of special interest. We measured the gold concentration in the serum and in the blood cells after in vitro application of aurothiomalate (Tauredon), gold keratinate (Auro-Detoxin) and triethylphosphine-gold (Ridaura) and in blood samples of patients undergoing these gold salts treatments. Cell-bound concentrations were found to vary extensively as a function of the gold compound used. While no or very little gold was present intracellularly after administration of the 2 parenteral drugs, up to 40% of the circulating gold was found to bind to the cells after administration of the triethylphosphine compound for gastro-intestinal absorption. The red cell concentration was more or less the same as that in the extracellular compartment. Gold apparently accumulated in the white cells, because the cell-bound concentration relative to unit volume was up to 20 times higher than the plasma level. The method used did not offer any information on the actual binding site of gold in white cells, i.e. cytoplasm versus nucleus versus cell membrane.

In investigating the atypical granula in myeloic cells cytochemically the positivity of DMAB reaction identifies the specific eosinophilic nature of these granula. The slightly modified methods of representing histones allow those histones which are rich of lysine and arginine to be differentiated. With their help those differences can be grasped which exist between the condensed chromatin of lymphocytes and the mature neutrophils caused by the presence of histones being rich of lysine and arginine. New possibilities of examining the proteins in leukocytes in a cytochemical way as well as in blood- and bone-marrow cells are provided by colouring with palatine fast black, the use of which also points to certain differences in the chromatin of lymphocytes and neutrophils.

Histamine, the decarboxylation product of histidine, was determined in serum, leucocytes, synovial fluid and synovial tissue rheumatic diseases. Histamine level was variable in most of the biological samples. In serum of patients with rheumatoid arthritis histamine was more frequent (50%) than in controls (10%). Leucocyte preparations containing basophile cells did not differ in their histamine concentration. Synovial fluid of rheumatoid arthritis patients showed histamine levels in the range of 1,0 to 23,4 ng/ml. The results were discussed by means of the pertinent literature.

From 63 children with acute leukaemia the bone-marrow smears were cytochemically examined before the beginning of therapy. The activity of peroxydase was examined according to Sato and Sekya, that of acid phosphatase according to Löffler and Berghoff, that of alpha-naphthyl-acetate-esterase according to Gomori; the evidence of glycogen was examined by means of the PAS-diastase response according to McManus. Among the 63 cases of leukaemia we found 6 cases of paramyeloblastic leukaemia, 2 cases of parapromyelocytic leukaemia, and 3 cases of myelomonocytic leukaemia. 52 cases of leukaemia could not be further differentiated in morphological respect. They represented an immature paraleukoblastic leukaemia. A division according to leading cytochemical criteria was made for them. The therapeutic possibility of influencing the various groups was checked by means of prolonged observations. Children affected with paraleukoblastic leukaemia of the phosphatase type had a significantly low rate of remission similar to the myeloid leukaemia. Paraleukoblastic leukaemia of the PAS type, esterase type and the undifferentiated type revealed no essential differences. The rate of remission, however, was highest in leukaemia of the PAS type amounting to 100%. In one part of patients the prolonged cytochemical observations in 8 children with recidives showed that the cytochemical type under chemotherapy was changed.

A sensitive reproducible, nondestructive method for the determination of adriamycin and its metabolites in plasma, leukocytes and tissues has been developed. Apolar substances as adriamycinone (adm-one) were extracted at pH 2 with chloroform, polar ones as adriamycin (adm) and adriamycinol (adm-ol) at pH 8.8 with chloroform: methanol, separated by thin-layer-chromatography and quantitated by fluorescence spectrophotometry. The plasma levels of adm-ol and adm-one were lower in all patients compared to those of adm. Further metabolites were found in the bile. Toxic effects were found in patients with prolonged half-lives in the elimination phase. A delayed elimination was observed in a patient with an elevation of the bilirubin level, but also in patients without overt liver disease. The pharmacokinetics of adm showed considerable inter- and intraindividual fluctuations.

In an animal experimental model (rats) the influence of which model substances for blood substitution of GDR origin may have on the phagocytosis behaviour of leukocytes of the peripheral blood was investigated by means of luminol-amplified chemoluminescence. After applying the model substance in an amount corresponding to 10% of the circulating blood volume a reversible increase of luminol-amplified chemoluminescence could be observed. The values referred to the portion of neutrophilic granulocytes, however, showed no significant differences compared to the control groups. The opsonizing capacity of the serum towards cymosan revealed a temporary deficit after applying blood substitution substances of GDR origin. The conclusion is drawn that the functions of leukocytes of the peripheral blood recorded by the applied method are not depressed by the model substances used.

It is reported on clinico-chemical examinations in 30 carriers of adenomas, who underwent a gestagen therapy lasting 3 months. The treatment was performed in group I in 15 patients with progesterone depot and in group II with depostate. After the end of the treatment in group I an increase of the content of the sodium ions was found. The infections of the urinary tract improved. Neither in negative sense nor in positive sense an influence of the therapy on the other examination parameters was found.

The semiquantitative rapid tests used in the present study proved to be sufficiently sensitive for the estimation of erythrocytes in CSF samples, but they were inadequate with respect to the estimation of less than 100 microliter mononuclear and less than 10/microliter segmental neutrophilic leucocytes, of bilirubin, and albumin. Plastic tubes and cuvettes (e.g. of polystyrol) did not adsorb IgG, IgA, albumin or prealbumin from CSF samples, but adsorbed up to 80% of each purified single protein.