concanavalin-a and Testicular-Neoplasms

To investigate the impact of polychemotherapy on cellular immunity in patients with testicular cancer.. Lymphocyte subpopulations, lymphoproliferative responses to mitogenic stimulation, and mitogen-induced release of soluble interleukin-2 receptor from peripheral blood mononuclear cells were investigated in 15 patients with testicular germ cell tumors a median of 61 months (range 7 to 73) after polychemotherapy with bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (BEP).. The numbers of peripheral blood T cells (CD3+), CD4+ and CD8+ subsets, and lymphoproliferative responses to pokeweed mitogen, phytohemagglutinin, and concanavalin A in patients were comparable to those of healthy control subjects. When two groups of patients were formed according to elapsed time from BEP polychemotherapy and study onset (group A, 12 months and group B, 69 months after termination of BEP), a significant increase in lymphoproliferative response to concanavalin A (P <0.05) was found in group A 1 year after chemotherapy.. BEP chemotherapy administered to patients with testicular cancer does not result in impairment of cellular immunity but rather leads to a significant increase in the capacity of patients' lymphocytes to respond to mitogenic stimulation up to 1 year after polychemotherapy. Moreover, the increased T-cell activity found after BEP therapy may contribute to the high rate of long-term complete remission.

Topics: Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Bleomycin; Cisplatin; Concanavalin A; Etoposide; Germinoma; Humans; Immunity, Cellular; Lectins; Leukocytes, Mononuclear; Lymphocyte Activation; Male; Receptors, Interleukin-2; Testicular Neoplasms

Alpha-foetoprotein (AFP) is widely used in the diagnosis, therapeutic monitoring and follow-up of patients with germ cell tumours. On occasion, the interpretation of a raised serum AFP measurement in a patient is confounded by the fact that AFP also increases in a variety of liver and gastrointestinal diseases. AFP exists as a number of isoforms, which can be separated by their differential binding to plant lectins. Thus, AFP-concanavalin A (ConA) binding affords a means of distinguishing between a raised AFP of teratoma or liver aetiology and has recently been reported to possess sensitivity and specificity approaching 100%. We present a patient in whom column chromatographic ConA binding was used as a basis for clinical management decisions for treatment for relapsed germ cell testicular tumour. The presumption of high test specificity led to a delay in the diagnosis of cancer recurrence, from which the patient ultimately died. We conclude that the clinical utility of lectin binding assays currently remains uncertain and further evaluation is warranted.

Topics: Adult; alpha-Fetoproteins; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Biomarkers, Tumor; Chromatography, Affinity; Combined Modality Therapy; Concanavalin A; Humans; Male; Orchiectomy; Radiotherapy Dosage; Sensitivity and Specificity; Teratoma; Testicular Neoplasms

To establish whether alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) produced in the early post-treatment phase of a patient with a germ cell tumour of the testis or the ovary originates from the tumour or is due to an underlying disturbance in liver function, the binding of AFP to concanavalin A (Con A) was investigated as a discriminative variable. A two-step assay is described that can distinguish the type of AFP produced at levels as low as 10 ng/ml. A Con A-binding ratio of 12-43% was found in the patients with disseminated germ cell tumours and in patients with AFP-positive gastrointestinal carcinomas. AFP from the liver gives ratios below 10%.

Topics: alpha-Fetoproteins; Biomarkers, Tumor; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Concanavalin A; Female; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; Male; Methods; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal; Ovarian Neoplasms; Protein Binding; Testicular Neoplasms

Isozymes of alkaline phosphatases (ALP) in seminoma and normal testis were separated by use of high-performance liquid chromatography and a TSK-gel phenyl-5PW column. The tissue-nonspecific (liver) ALP (LAP) was the dominating isozyme, consisting of more than 90% ALP activity. The placental ALP (PLAP)-like enzyme contributed to 4-8% of the total ALP activity. The intestinal isozyme (IAP) could not be identified. The glycosylation patterns of the isozymes were studied using concanavalin A (Con A) affinity chromatography and batch elution with competing sugar. All PLAP activity in placental extracts and LAP activity in liver extracts was bound to Con A-Sepharose. In the tumor extracts, only 50-70% of the PLAP-like enzyme and 20-50% of the LAP activity from seminomas were bound to Con A-Sepharose. A similar binding pattern of the PLAP-like enzyme and LAP was also seen in the normal testes. This variability in Con A reactivity with PLAP or the PLAP-like enzyme was also reflected in serum of seminoma patients and of pregnant women. Thus, ALP expressed in seminoma has different lectin affinity characteristics compared with the same isozyme from placenta and liver, but almost identical to ALP in the normal testes. These findings imply that the PLAP-like enzyme and LAP in the testis can be discriminated from PLAP of placenta and LAP of liver by carbohydrate lectin affinity. It also supports the concept that the increased amounts of ALP in seminomas result from the enhanced eutopic expression of enzymes normally expressed in the testis.

Topics: Alkaline Phosphatase; Chromatography, Affinity; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Concanavalin A; Dysgerminoma; Female; Glycosylation; Humans; Isoenzymes; Male; Pregnancy; Solubility; Testicular Neoplasms; Testis

Seven patients with carcinoma-in-situ of the testis were studied. Testicular biopsies were treated with eight fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugated lectins, and particular attention was paid to the similarities between CIS germ cells, normal germ cells and seminoma cells. In the cytoplasm of CIS cells a large number of granularly distributed Con A and LCA binding sites was noticed, indicating the presence of mannose and N-acetyl-glucosamine in these cells. The perinuclear fluorescence observed by WGA and RCA I suggests the incorporation of N-acetyl-glucosamine and galactose into glycoproteins in cytoplasmic cell organelles of these cells. The distribution of glycoconjugates in CIS germ cells is similar to that of invasive seminoma cells confirming the malignant nature of CIS cells. However, as there are differences in lectin binding of spermatogenetic cells and CIS cells, no conclusions regarding the origin of CIS cells can be drawn.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Binding Sites; Carcinoma in Situ; Concanavalin A; Dysgerminoma; Humans; Lectins; Male; Testicular Neoplasms

Using affinity chromatography on concanavalin A Sepharose, the authors studied the molecular heterogeneity of the serum alpha-fetoprotein of 53 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, 16 patients with metastatic tumors to the liver, and 16 patients with germ cell tumors. Mean concanavalin binding of alpha-fetoprotein in the sera of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma was 79%, whereas the mean binding in metastatic tumors was 52% and that of germ cell tumors was 45%. This striking molecular variation of the alpha-fetoprotein produced by these different tumors is helpful in the clinical distinction of these tumors.

Topics: alpha-Fetoproteins; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Chromatography, Affinity; Concanavalin A; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; Male; Testicular Neoplasms

Using a modified method of Con A, LCH or PHA-E affinity crossed-line immunoelectrophoresis, we studied AFP subfractions in 78 sera including 58 from patients with primary hepatoma, 11 from patients with hepatic metastasis of gastric cancer and 9 from patients with germ cell tumors of the gonads (yolk sac tumor, immature solid teratoma or mature solid teratoma). It was found that AFP in primary hepatoma, metastatic hepatoma or germ cell tumors of the gonads were differently glycosylated, and different patterns of AFP subfractions identified by Con A, LCH or PHA-E affinity crossed-line immunoelectrophoresis facilitated a differential diagnosis of such AFP related malignancies.

Topics: alpha-Fetoproteins; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Concanavalin A; Female; Humans; Immunoelectrophoresis; Immunoelectrophoresis, Two-Dimensional; Lectins; Liver Neoplasms; Male; Mesonephroma; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal; Ovarian Neoplasms; Teratoma; Testicular Neoplasms

A total of 19 patients, treated for aggressive tumors with high-dose chemo/radiotherapy and autologous bone marrow transplantation (BMT), were studied for concanavalin-A (Con A)-induced proliferation and Con-A-induced cytotoxicity. Ten patients with cytomegalovirus (CMV) antibodies before BMT showed increased Con-A-induced cytotoxicity before and from 100 days after BMT, while Con-A-induced proliferation decreased to less than 10% of control values after BMT and remained so. Nine CMV-negative patients showed normal cytotoxic capacity before and after BMT, while Con-A-induced proliferation recovered slowly from day +30 after BMT. Con-A-induced cytotoxicity was not significantly different between CMV-positive and CMV-negative patients, while Con-A-induced proliferation showed significant differences from day +100 onward.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adolescent; Adult; Antibodies, Viral; Bone Marrow Cells; Bone Marrow Transplantation; Carcinoma; Cell Division; Combined Modality Therapy; Concanavalin A; Cytomegalovirus; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; Female; Humans; Leukemia; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphoma; Male; Middle Aged; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic; Testicular Neoplasms

We used affinity chromatography on concanavalin A Sepharose to study the serum alpha-fetoprotein of 10 patients with histologically proven germ-cell tumors and 12 patients with primary liver cancer. Less than 50% of the fetoprotein from germ-cell tumors bound to concanavalin A, as compared with more than 80% of the alpha-fetoprotein from primary liver cancers.

Topics: Adult; Aged; alpha-Fetoproteins; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Chromatography, Affinity; Concanavalin A; Female; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; Male; Mesonephroma; Middle Aged; Ovarian Neoplasms; Sepharose; Testicular Neoplasms

Virtually all aged, male, Fischer-344 rats have testicular tumors. The influence of this tumor on lymphocyte reactivity from aged Fischer-344 rats is unknown. In this report we demonstrate that neither the presence of this tumor nor the serum concentration of luteinizing hormone has an effect on the splenic mitogen reactivity of old animals.

Topics: Aging; Animals; Castration; Cell Count; Cell Division; Concanavalin A; Leydig Cell Tumor; Luteinizing Hormone; Male; Mitogens; Phytohemagglutinins; Rats; Rats, Inbred F344; Spleen; Testicular Neoplasms

Blood lymphocytes from 9 patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) were studied. The results were compared with those of 6 seminoma testis patients and 9 healthy unrelated controls. All patients were in complete and unmaintained remission more than 10 years after termination of radiotherapy. The mean T-lymphocyte count of HD patients was lower than that of controls and seminoma testis patients. Lymphocyte DNA synthesis induced by pokeweed mitogen and phytohaemagglutinin was normal in both patient groups. Concanavalin A-induced DNA synthesis was low in 4 patients with HD although the mean stimulation of the group did not differ from controls or seminoma testis patients. Lymphocyte activation by PPD was slightly decreased in the 2 patient groups. No increase in spontaneous lymphocyte DNA synthesis was observed. The responding and stimulatory capacity in mixed lymphocyte culture was decreased in 3 and 2 HD patients respectively. 4 out of the 9 patients with HD but none with seminoma testis displayed severe impairment in T-lymphocyte functions. As 1 of the 4 had been treated solely by surgery, late effects of irradiation can only partly explain the results. The results may favour a hypothesis postulating a constitutional defect contributing to the immunoincompetence in HD.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Concanavalin A; DNA; Dysgerminoma; Female; Hodgkin Disease; Humans; Lectins; Leukocyte Count; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; Lymphocytes; Male; Middle Aged; Mitogens; Prognosis; Remission, Spontaneous; Testicular Neoplasms

The high rate of human chorionic gonadotropin production by testicular tumors caused us to investigate the possibility that normal human testes contain small amounts of that substance. Extracts of human testes obtained at autopsy demonstrated parallel inhibition curves to the human chorionic gonadotropin standard in a radioimmunoassay specific for the hormone. The immunoreactive material was adsorbed onto concanavalin A, a reaction characteristic of glycoproteins, and was eluted within the chorionic gonadotropin range on Sephadex G-100 column chromatography. Solubilized receptor proteins for the hormone could not be identified in the extracts. The demonstration that the normal human testes contain a glycoprotein similar or identical to human chorionic gonadotropin suggests that the fetal genome responsible for production of the hormone during pregnancy is not completely suppressed in the adult. Excessive productton of this glycoprotein may account for the high levels of human chorionic gonadotropin reported in the serum of patients with germ-cell tumors of the testes.

Topics: Adult; Chorionic Gonadotropin; Chromatography; Concanavalin A; Female; Fetus; Genotype; Glycoproteins; Hormones, Ectopic; Humans; Liver; Luteinizing Hormone; Male; Menopause; Pregnancy; Radioimmunoassay; Receptors, Cell Surface; Testicular Neoplasms; Testis

Tumors induced by SV40 virus in newborn and adult Syrian hamsters were analyzed for their growth properties in vitro, transplantation, agglutination with concanavalin A and chromosome constitution. Following transfer to culture flasks tumor cells grew for 2-3 weeks, then went through a "degenerative phase". Eventually lines were established which became adapted to in vitro culture conditions. Agglutination properties of these tumor cells were similar to those of cells transformed in vitro with SV40 virus. Of five subcutaneous and six intratesticular tumors that were analyzed for their chromosome constitution, all had a hypotetraploid chromosome number distribution. The results of the chromosome studies suggest a similiar pattern in the evolution of malignant properties of cells transformed in vitro and in vivo following infection with SV40 virus.

Topics: Agglutination; Animals; Antigens, Neoplasm; Antigens, Viral; Cell Line; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; Cells, Cultured; Chromosome Aberrations; Chromosomes; Concanavalin A; Cricetinae; Diploidy; Fibrosarcoma; Karyotyping; Male; Neoplasm Transplantation; Neoplasms, Experimental; Polyploidy; Simian virus 40; Testicular Neoplasms; Transplantation, Homologous