Tobacco Documents Online

THE COUNCIL Fux ToBAbco REscAaca-U.S.A., Irna. 1~'~.+rch 24, 1975 ~' K:`~f!(., (i4C' t;"", Grant Application No. 1010 M DIl4UDROLOG7f T0: The cosmlittae comprising Drs. Bing, Feldman and Liebow (W.U.G. and S.C.S.) FROM: Robert C. Hockett StIDJECT: Carl G. Becker, M.D. and Gregory Siskind, M.D., Caarnell University Medical CoME "Investigation of the Role of Allergy to Tobacco Constituents in the Pathogenesis of Arteriosclerosis and Myocardial Infarction." (Denied in its originaZ form in October 1974.) (See memorandum of Feb. 21, 1975, In October 1974 the SA8 suggested that a new application be submitted for one year preliminary clinical studies on hoacun allergic responses to tobacco, at a budget not to exceed $30,000. (i.°.ence the comprrehensive title above is deceiving. Dr. Becker visited the CTR offices on March 19th to describe the work that has been done during the interval since Oct. 1974. He and Dr. Siskind have apparently been actively at work. Tobacco leaf glyco- rp otein (TLG.) New preparations have been made. The active material has a molecular weight of about 26,000 as indicated by Fd' values on elec- trophoresis. There is a second substance-of aboutt 75,000 mol.wt. with same activity. They have devised a preparative column and have been able to collect sufficient amounts of the quite homogeneous 26,000 mol.wt. fraction for use in Immunizing rabbits, with the object of preparing a radio-immuno-assay reagent. The immunization of goats has begun (or is about to begin). • Tests for antibody to TLG. A counter-electrophoresis system in agarose gel has been used for a preliminary test of human wri animal sera for antibodies to TGG, with the foi_l.owing results: Human adults (young - randcan) Current human smokers Current non-smokers Human feta,7l cord blood Rhesus monkeys Rabbits TGP in tobacco smoke. In a Preliminary rough experiment,,cigarette smoke was passed through saline which was then filtered through on Amicon filter under nitrogen sure. This filter retains molecules over 10,000' in mol. wt. The filtered material was treated like the TGP obtained from tobacco leaf including passage through 12 positives out of 31 cases 4 " out of 16 cases 3 " out of 9 cases 1 " ol?t of 5 cases 0 " out of 4 cases 0 " out cf 5 cases prc 8ephad,ex columns from which a substance emerged with the void volisne. On subjection to electrophoresis, a band of material was obtained where TGP was to be expected. This stained as a glycoprotein. This unexpected result suggests that tcbacco glycoprotein is carried in the smoke from burning tobacco. Two sensitive sub,lects gave faint positive skin reactions to this material. This finding led to diacussion of plans for fractionation to tobacco smoke condensates prepared under defineri and controlled methods.

i March 24, 1975 I?i(C~fliiCi`~OG~ RIA for human isrrnuno&Aobslin E. The tegSed antibodies for humsrd IgE available coffinercially from Berenberger are not satisfactflry for the pusposes of this study. A human myelama patient at the New York Hospital is servi.ng as a source for IgN frcm which antibodies are being prepared by the Cornell teaum. -- 6lycoprotein from eggplant. prel{minO ry experiments with egg plant ha.ve isolateda substance quite~ similex to the tobacco leaf g2ycoprotein, but not identical with it. To camplete his files on the subject of tobacco aallergy, especially CZR's history in ttLis area, we furni.shed Becker vith copies of nineteen papers including the output from CTR projects with Sulzberger, Fontana and Redisich, and several papers on antibodies to tobacco mosaic virus fbund in ssnkers. R. C. H. RCH,/1p