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The presence of receptors for oestradiol-17 beta and 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (5 alpha-DHT) in the human monocytic leukaemia cell line J111 and rat peritoneal macrophages was investigated using whole-cell assays. For both cell types, high-affinity binding species for oestrogen were detected, whereas no indication of specific binding was observed for 5 alpha-DHT. Analysis of the data according to Scatchard showed curved lines, indicating the presence of two different oestrogen-binding species. The dissociation constant (Kd) values for the receptors of the rat peritoneal macrophages were calculated to be 1.4 x 10(-10) M and 3.3 x 10(-9) M, while for the J111 cells, the Kd values were 8.7 x 10(-11) M and 2.5 x 10(-9) M. Sucrose-gradient ultracentrifugation identified one oestrogen-binding species of 7.1S. The receptors had a relatively high affinity for diethylstilboestrol (DES) but did not bind to a monoclonal antibody specific for the classical oestrogen receptor, suggesting that oestrogen receptors in macrophages could be of a different type.

Aloe barbadensis Miller (or Aloe vera) has widespread use in health products, and despite numerous reports on the whole plant, little work has been performed on the inner gel, which has been used extensively in these products. This report describes the in vitro susceptibilities of two bacteria to this component

Human spleen cells were investigated for specific oestrogen binding using oestradiol-17 beta. High affinity, low capacity binding was observed (Kd = 2.5 X 10(-10) M) and the characteristics of the oestrogen receptor identified were typical of this type of species. T lymphocyte subpopulations were prepared by negative selection by means of the monoclonal antibodies Leu 2a and 3a. Oestrogen receptors were only found in T cells of the suppressor/cytotoxic (CD8-positive) subset while helper/inducer lymphocytes (CD4-positive) showed no significant steroid binding by cytosol and nuclear assays. These results are supported by data from experiments into the effects of oestradiol-17 beta on immunoglobulin secretion, where it was apparent that only the suppressor/cytotoxic T-cell subpopulation was responsive to the presence of the steroid.

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Four new labdane-derived diterpenes, iso-dulcinol (1), 4-epi-scopadulcic acid B (2), dulcidiol (4), and scopanolal (5), together with two known diterpenes, dulcinol/scopadulciol (3) and scopadiol (6), were isolated from the aerial parts of Scoparia dulcis. The structures were determined by extensive NMR studies. The crude extracts as well as the pure diterpenes showed cytotoxicity against a panel of six human stomach cancer cell lines.

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