University of Texas System

About: University of Texas System is a education organization based out in Austin, Texas, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Cancer & Population. The organization has 13901 authors who have published 10925 publications receiving 319328 citations. The organization is also known as: UT System.

Growth factors suppress and phorbol esters potentiate the action of dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate to stimulate aromatase activity of human adipose stromal cells.

Abstract: In previous studies, we observed that the stimulatory effect of (Bu)2cAMP on aromatase activity of human adipose stromal cells was markedly attenuated when fetal calf serum was present in the culture medium. To determine whether growth factors may be the inhibitors of (Bu)2cAMP-stimulated aromatase activity in serum, the effects of growth factors and phorbol esters on aromatase activity of human adipose stromal cells in monolayer culture were investigated. Epidermal growth factor (EGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) were all without effect on aromatase activity when added by themselves, but markedly inhibited aromatase activity stimulated by (Bu)2cAMP. On the other hand, nerve growth factor, multiplication-stimulating activity, relaxin, and insulin had no effect on aromatase activity, either by themselves or in the presence of (Bu)2cAMP. Thus, EGF, PDGF, and FGF can mimic the inhibitory action of fetal calf serum on (Bu)2cAMP-stimulated aromatase activity of these cells. By contrast, none of these substances was capable of mimicking the effect of serum to facilitate the stimulatory action of dexamethasone on aromatase activity of these cells. The phorbol esters phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate, phorbol-12,13-didecanoate, and phorbol-12,13-diacetate were also capable of facilitating the action of (Bu)2cAMP to stimulate aromatase activity, but had little or no action on dexamethasone-stimulated aromatase activity or when added by themselves. It is concluded that aromatase is under multifactorial regulation in human adipose stromal cells. The activity is induced by glucocorticoids and by agents that stimulate cAMP-dependent protein kinase; the latter effect is potentiated by factors that stimulate protein kinase C, but is suppressed by growth factors such as EGF, FGF, and PDGF, whose actions are believed to be mediated by receptor-linked tyrosine kinase activity.

Adrenal cortical carcinoma. A study of 32 patients.

Abstract: Fifteen males and 17 females with adrenal cortical carcinoma were reviewed. Their average age at diagnosis was 50.33 years plus or minus 12.26 SD for males and 39.76 years plus or minus 12.02 SD for females. The 5-year survival rate in this series was 31.25%. Abdominal pain, weakness, and weight loss were the primary presenting symptoms, whereas abdominal mass, distant lymphadenopathy, hepatomegaly, and edema of the lower extremities were the main presenting signs. The major sites of distant metastatic involvement were the lungs, liver, lymph nodes, and bones. The best available mode of therapy was surgery. The use of ortho para 'DDD (o,p'DDD), either in addition to surgery or as the only mode of therapy, was not associated with any significant advantage to the patient. Female patients had a longer survival than males, probably because of their younger age at diagnosis.

Bcl1, a murine model for chronic lymphocytic leukemia: use of the surface immunoglobulin idiotype for the detection and treatment of tumor.

Abstract: B cell neoplasms account for a significant proportion of human lymphoid tumors and also represent major problems in management (Lennert & Mohri 1978). About 75% of non-Hodgkins lymphomas and virtually all chronic lymphocytic leukemias (CLL) are of B cell origin. Treatment of B cell lymphomas is generally unsatisfactory and prediction of the clinical course based on the histology of tumors is unreliable. With regard to CLL, although many patients have a benign disease and essentially live a normal life span, others have a more malignant form of the disease and despite chemotherapy have a very shortened life span after diagnosis. Because of the extensive information concerning murine immunology and immunogenetics and the availability of inbred congenic mouse strains, murine tumors offer major experimental opportunities. Until recently,, virtually all leukemias and lymphomas described in the mouse were of T cell origin, despite the prevalence of spontaneous and induced myelomas in this species (Potter 1976). However, during the last decade, a number of B cell lymphomas, both spontaneous and induced, have been described. Thus. Abelson virus infection in murine bone marrow or spleen gives rise to permanently growing neoplastic cell lines with the features of pre-B or very immature B cells (Abelson & Rabstein 1970, Premkumar et al. 1975, Boss et al. 1979). Two chemically induced prc-B