Activity of microbial animal protein factor concentrates in pernicious anemia.

JOSEPH F. Ross, M.D. , Editor ABSTRACTERS HELEN W. BELDING, M.D. ,Winston Salem, N. C. OLIVER P. JONEs, PH.D. , Buffalo SHEILA T. CALLENDER, M.D. , Oxford, England CONRAD MAIBR, M.D. , Zurich, Switzerland GEORGE E. CARTWRIGHT M.D. Salt Lake City Miws NETOUSEIC, M.D. , Prague, Czechoslovakia ROGER C. CRAP-rE, PH.D. , Boston CHARLES P. EMERSON, M.D. , Boston JEAN P. S0uLIER, M.D. , Paris SoLoMoN ESTREN, M.D. , New York RAMON M. SuAREz, San Juan, Puerto Rico CLEMENT A. FINCH, M.D. , Boston WILLIAM VAe.ar.s’ru’.on, M.D. , Los Angeles J AN WALDENSTR#{246}M, M.D. , Upsala, SwedenERS HELEN W. BELDING, M.D. ,Winston Salem, N. C. OLIVER P. JONEs, PH.D. , Buffalo SHEILA T. CALLENDER, M.D. , Oxford, England CONRAD MAIBR, M.D. , Zurich, Switzerland GEORGE E. CARTWRIGHT M.D. Salt Lake City Miws NETOUSEIC, M.D. , Prague, Czechoslovakia ROGER C. CRAP-rE, PH.D. , Boston CHARLES P. EMERSON, M.D. , Boston JEAN P. S0uLIER, M.D. , Paris SoLoMoN ESTREN, M.D. , New York RAMON M. SuAREz, San Juan, Puerto Rico CLEMENT A. FINCH, M.D. , Boston WILLIAM VAe.ar.s’ru’.on, M.D. , Los Angeles J AN WALDENSTR#{246}M, M.D. , Upsala, Sweden ERYTHROCYTES AND ERYTHROCYTIC DISEASE ACTIvITY OF MICROBIAL ANIMAL PROTEIN FACTOR CONCENTRATES IN PERSOcIOUs ANEMIA. E. L. R. Stokstad, A. Pate, J. Pierce, A. L. Franklin, T. H. fakes, R. M. Heinle, W. Epstein, and A. D. Welch. From the Ledenle Laboratories Division, American Cyanamid Company, Pearl River, New York, and the Departments of Medicine and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. J. Lab. & Clin. Med. 33: 860-864, 1948. These investigators have found that a nonmotile, nod-shaped organism from hen feces, when grown aerobically on simplified media, produces appreciable quantities of the ‘ animal protein factor’ ‘ as mdicated by assay with chicks on diets deficient in this factor. Since it is known that refined liver extracts produce a growth response in chicks deficient in the ‘ ‘animal protein factor, ‘ ‘ concentrates of the microbial animal protein factor were tested for anti-pernicious anemia activity in two patients with pernicious anemia in relapse. The results indicate that the concentrates were active in inducing a hematopoietic response in such patients. Whether the active substance in the microbial concentrates is identical with the anti-pernicious anemia factor or the recently isolated vitamin B12 is not known. The answer to this will have to await chemical identification of the various substances. The possibility exists that factor X, the cow manure factor, zoophenin, the animal protein factor, the microbial animal protein factor, vitamin B12 and the anti-pernicious anemia substances are all similar, identical or related compounds. G.E.C. PRESENCE OF COBALT IN THE Asrrm-PERNICI0Us ANAEMIA FACTOR. E. L. Smith. From Glaxo Laboratories, Ltd., Greenford, Middlesex, England. Nature, London 162: 144, 2948. Examination of crystals of anti-pernicious anemia factor has shown the presence of cobalt. If each molecule contains one atom of cobalt the molecular weight of the compound is about 1,500. Allowance for loss on drying brings this in excellent agreement with that found on x-ray crystallography (x, o-’ 1,750). The higher value ( ,ooo) found by the diffusion method may be due to errors inherent in the method, the use of impure material in earlier experiments, or that association occurs in solution. Analytic figures indicate that the molecule contains three atoms of phosphorous. Reference is made to the fact that the Merck workers have found cobalt and phosphorous in their vitamin B12. S.T.C. CONCENTRATION OF COBALT BY MICRO-oRGANIsMs AND ITS RELATION TO COBALT DEFICIENCY IN SHEEP. J. Tosic and Mitchell. From Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeenshine and Macaulay Institute for Soil Research, Cnaigiebucklen, Aberdeen, Scotland. Nature, London 162.’ 5o2.-5a4, 2948. i88 For personal use only. on November 14, 2017. by guest www.bloodjournal.org From