In 1928, it was discovered that copper was essential for normal human metabolism. Ten years later, 1938, it was observed that patients with rheumatoid arthritis had a higher than normal serum copper concentration, which returned to normal wi th remission of this disease. Thirteen years later, it was found that copper complexes were effective in treating arthritic diseaseS. The first report that copper complexes had antiinflammatory activity in an animal model of in flammation appeared twenty-two years after the discovery of essen tiality. In 1976, it was suggested that the active forms of the...

Since its discovery as the cause of infectious mononucleosis in 1964, the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been etiologically implicated in an increasing number of human diseases. Generally considered the first human oncogenic virus because of a number of studies linking it with Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), as well as its documented oncogenicity in nonhuman primates, EBVhas served as a model for identifying subsequent candidate oncogenic viruses and the stimulus for Evans' revision of the Henle-Koch postulates to accommodate the problems in proving viral oncogenicity in...

This volume contains the proceedings of an International Sympo sium on the Biology and Pharmacology of Tumor Cell Differentiation held on June 29-July I, 1986 at the University of Tromso, Norway. The objective of this meeting was to bring together scientists from various disciplines to discuss recent advances in the understanding of tumor cell differentiation and to bridge the gap between experimental findings and clinical application of new knowledge. Thus the infor mation will be of value not only to basic scientists involved in mol ecular and cell biology, but also to pharmacologists and...

The Fifth International Lymphokine Workshop was convened in Clearwater Beach, Florida, January 11-15, 1987. The theme chosen for the meeting was 'The Molecular Basis of Lymphokine Action," which reflected the opinion of the organizers as to how far the field had moved since the first Lymphokine Workshop only eleven years ago. As was evident at the last Lymphokine Workshop held in 1985, the contribution of molecular biology, particularly in the cloning of lymphokine genes, continues to play an important role in clarifying the structure of lymphokines, providing recombinant (read "pure")...

Specific biomolecular interactions occur in practically every bio logical process, usually involving macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. Thus, it is not surprising that great attention has been devoted by biologists, chemists, and physical chemists to the general phenomenon of macromolecular recognition in order to gain a better understanding of the principles, forces, and energetics that de termine the often remarkable specificities of such interactions as those of enzymes and their substrates and inhibitors, antibodies with anti gens, hormones with their receptors, and DNA...

Leukocyte culture conferences have a long pedigree. This volume records some of the scientific highlights of the 16th such annual con ference, and is a witness to the continuing evolution and popularity of leukocyte culture and of immunology. There is strong evidence of the widening horizons of immunology, both technically, with the obviously major impact of molecular biology into our understanding of cellular processes, and also conceptually. Traditionally, the 'proceedings' of these conferences have been published. But have the books produced really recorded the major part of the...

Most complex biological systems, such as enzyme pathways, are effec tively controlled near the beginning of the process. There is increasing evidence that the same is true for the immune system, with the initial interactions between antigen, antigen-presenting cells, and T cells hav ing a paramount influence on the ensuing events. Thus, analysis of the early stages of the immune responses has been a preoccupation of many immunologists. This has been considerably aided by the capac ity to expand these early events, and 'immortalize' them as clones of T cells, for detailed analysis. The...

In the past five years, a surprising and intense resurgence in interest in vitamins and other micronutrients and their role in health and dis- ease has occurred. The recognition has emerged that vitamins not only are essential for life -in that severe nutritional deficiencies occur in their absence, but that these compounds may also serve as natural inhibitors of cancer. Synthetic alterations of the basic vitamin A mole- cule have also resulted in the production of compounds that are more potent as anticancer agents than the natural substance and may have substantial therapeutic activity as...

For decades retroviruses have been riding the crest of a wave of experimental research directed toward the identification of an infectious agent of human neoplastic diseases. In the early 1970s, several scientists successfully demonstrated the presence of retroviruses in numerous animal species and proved their etiological role in some related diseases. Corresponding findings in humans were somewhat discouraging. Although financial support for this line. of research declined, a few dedicated retrovirologists survived and continued to collect more biological information and technological...

This book has been developed from its earlier and far less formal presentment as the proceedings of a symposium entitled The Biochemistry of S-Adenosylmethionine as a Basis for Drug Design that was held at the Solstrand Fjord Hotel in Bergen, Norway on June 30-July 4, 1985. The purpose of the symposium was to bring together scientists from various disciplines (biochemistry, pharmacology, virology, immunology, chemistry, medicine, and so on) to discuss the recent advances that have been made in our understanding of the biological roles of S adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) and to discuss the...