cyclic-gmp and Anemia--Hypochromic

The effect of asparaginic acid to functional capacity on thymocytes was examined. We found that injection of 1 x 10(-4) g asparaginic acid during 5 days to rats with experimental iron result in an increase of incorporation of 3H-thymidine in thymocytes and proportion cAMP/cGMP in these cells being from 24.3 to 39.7. On the basis of these data we came to the conclusion that asparaginic acid activates immunocompetent cells following metabolic changes and asparaginic acid can be used as an immunotherapeutic agent, for example, in treatment of iron deficiency anaemia.

Topics: Adjuvants, Immunologic; Anemia, Hypochromic; Animals; Aspartic Acid; Cyclic AMP; Cyclic GMP; DNA; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Drug Therapy, Combination; Male; Organometallic Compounds; Polysaccharides; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; T-Lymphocytes

Plasma and urine levels of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) and of cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP) were measured in 35 normal subjects, in 24 patients with nonneoplastic diseases (iron deficiency anemia, peptic ulcer, and cholelithiasis), and in 50 leukemic patients. The leukemic group included patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myelogenous leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and chronic myelogenous leukemia. All patients were recently diagnosed and untreated, except for 5 patients with blastic transformation of chronic myelogenous leukemia who had been previously treated. There were no significant differences in plasma and urine cyclic nucleotide levels between normal subjects and patients with nonneoplastic diseases. In leukemic patients, plasma and urine cAMP levels were similar to those of normal subjects, whereas plasma and urine cGMP levels were markedly elevated. There were no significant differences in cGMP values between the various types of leukemia. After starting treatment, plasma cyclic nucleotide levels were periodically measured in 21 of the patients with acute leukemia; cGMP levels were normalized in all the 16 subjects who attained complete remission, whereas both cAMP and cGMP levels were apparently unaffected in the patients who did not respond to treatment. This suggests that plasma or urine cGMP could be used as an additional parameter to monitor the patient's response to treatment.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Anemia, Hypochromic; Cholelithiasis; Chronic Disease; Cyclic GMP; Female; Humans; Leukemia; Male; Middle Aged; Nucleotides, Cyclic; Peptic Ulcer