Vaccination of tumor cells transfected with the B7-1 (CD80) gene induces the anti-metastatic effect and tumor immunity in mice

The present study demonstrates that the transfection of B7-1 or its variant MB7-2 genes into MHC class I+ tumor cells (B16-BL6 or K1735-M2 melanoma) resulted in the remarkable reduction of lung metastasis caused by i.v. injection into immunocompetent syngeneic mice. However, i.v. injection of the transfectants into T cell-deficient nude mice did not affect reduction of lung tumor colonies as compared with parental wild-type tumors, suggesting that such an inhibitory effect was closely associated with T cell-mediated responses. The reduced metastasis of B7+ tumor cells consequently led to the significant prolongation of survival. Expression of B7 on tumor cells did not influence the tumorigenicity in vivo and tumor cell invasion into basement membrane Matrigel in vitro. We also found that immunization of X-irradiated B7 transfectants was effective as a tumor vaccine for preventing lung metastasis caused by i.v. injection of B7- parental B16-BL6 cells but not against other syngeneic 3LL tumors. Thus, the B7-mediated anti-metastatic effect was tumor-specific. Vaccinations of irradiated B7+ tumor cells before and after surgical excision of the s.c. inoculated primary B7- tumors on day 21 achieved effectively the prevention of spontaneous lung metastasis. Our report that vaccination of irradiated B7+ tumor cells led to a therapeutic effect in an established tumor metastasis model clearly expands and confirms previous related observations.

Age-related changes in diurnal acetylcholine release in the prefrontal cortex of male rats as measured by microdialysis

Extracellular levels of acetylcholine in the prefrontal cortex were measured using the micro-dialysis method in freely moving young (three to four months old) and old (23 to 24 months old) male rats over a period of 24 h to examine the effect of aging on prefrontal acetylcholine release. Prefrontal acetylcholine release during a 24 h period exhibited a diurnal variation with higher levels during the dark cycle than during the light cycle in young rats but not in old rats. In addition, prefrontal acetylcholine release was closely associated with spontaneous activity in young rats but not in old rats. The present study suggests that aging reduces diurnal changes in the prefrontal acetylcholine release and that there is a cross-correlation between the prefrontal acetylcholine release and spontaneous locomotor activity in male rats.

[Histopathological prognostic factors in 146 patients with renal cell carcinoma: comparison between incidental and non-incidental cases]

To characterize the prognostic factors among pathological structural pattern, cell type, infiltration, and incidental or non-incidental renal cell carcinoma (RCC), we reviewed the records of 146 patients with RCC who underwent nephrectomy at our institute. The patients were 26 to 86 years old (mean age 58). The men-to-women ratio was 3.2:1. The tumor originated in the right kidney in 83 patients and in the left in 63. The solid pattern was associated with poorer survival than other patterns (p < 0.01). Spindle or pleomorphic cell type had poorer survival than common type (p < 0.01). The number of incidentally discovered RCC has increased since 1986, and survival is better than in non-incidental RCC, because of smaller tumor size, low stage tumor (stages 1, 2; 83.6%), and fewer papillary or solid type. In addition, there were no spindle or pleomorphic cell type, grade 3 or INF gamma-positive case. Survival is good even when the tumor is large.

Vaccination of tumor cells transfected with the B7-1 (CD80) gene induces the anti-metastatic effect and tumor immunity in mice

The present study demonstrates that the transfection of B7-1 or its variant MB7-2 genes into MHC class I+ tumor cells (B16-BL6 or K1735-M2 melanoma) resulted in the remarkable reduction of lung metastasis caused by i.v. injection into immunocompetent syngeneic mice. However, i.v. injection of the transfectants into T cell-deficient nude mice did not affect reduction of lung tumor colonies as compared with parental wild-type tumors, suggesting that such an inhibitory effect was closely associated with T cell-mediated responses. The reduced metastasis of B7+ tumor cells consequently led to the significant prolongation of survival. Expression of B7 on tumor cells did not influence the tumorigenicity in vivo and tumor cell invasion into basement membrane Matrigel in vitro. We also found that immunization of X-irradiated B7 transfectants was effective as a tumor vaccine for preventing lung metastasis caused by i.v. injection of B7- parental B16-BL6 cells but not against other syngeneic 3LL tumors. Thus, the B7-mediated anti-metastatic effect was tumor-specific. Vaccinations of irradiated B7+ tumor cells before and after surgical excision of the s.c. inoculated primary B7- tumors on day 21 achieved effectively the prevention of spontaneous lung metastasis. Our report that vaccination of irradiated B7+ tumor cells led to a therapeutic effect in an established tumor metastasis model clearly expands and confirms previous related observations.

Low-dose melphalan for treatment of high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes

Twenty-one consecutive patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) including six with refractory anemia with excess blasts (RAEB) and 15 with RAEB in transformation (RAEBt) were treated with daily oral low-dose melphalan (2 mg/day). Seven patients achieved complete remission (CR), one patient partial response, and four minor response while the remaining eight did not respond. The median age of the patients was 65 (range 56-83 years). The mean total amount of melphalan given was 140+/-19 mg in patients who achieved CR. The median duration of CR was 14.5 months. Serious toxicity was not encountered in any of the cases. Neither marrow suppression nor pancytopenia was observed during the administration of melphalan in patients who achieved CR. The clinical features of CR patients included normal karyotype and hypocellular marrow in biopsied specimen from the lilac bone. These observations suggest that melphalan may exert some differentiation effects on leukemic cells in addition to cytotoxic effects. Our study indicates that daily administration of low-dose melphalan is worth trying in the treatment of elderly patients with high-risk MDS.

Medial septal injection of naloxone elevates acetylcholine release in the hippocampus and induces behavioral seizures in rats

The effects of injections of naloxone, a universal opioid receptor antagonist, into the medial septal nucleus on hippocampal acetylcholine (ACh) release and behavior were investigated in freely moving rats by means of the microdialysis method. The injection of naloxone (2, 10 and 20 micrograms) produced a marked increase in hippocampal ACh release in a dose-dependent manner. These effects of naloxone were reversed by the post-injection of [D-Ala2, N-Me-Phe4, Gly-ol]-enkephalin (DAGO; 10 micrograms), an opioid mu receptor agonist. Furthermore, basal release of hippocampal ACh was significantly reduced by the injection of DAGO alone. It was also found that rats given an injection of naloxone showed an increase in motor activity and occasionally exhibited behavioral seizures. These effects of naloxone were also reversed by the post-injection of DAGO. The present results suggest that endogenous opioids ionically inhibit the activity of septo-hippocampal cholinergic neurons via mediation of mu opioid receptors in the medial septal nucleus. They also suggest that endogenous opioids modulate the incidence of seizures, at least in part, through opioid mu receptors in the medial septal nucleus.

Fas ligand in human serum

The Fas ligand (FasL), a member of the tumor necrosis factor family, induces apoptosis in Fas-bearing cells. The membrane-bound human FasL was found to be converted to a soluble form (sFasL) by the action of a matrix metalloproteinase-like enzyme. Two neutralizing monoclonal anti-human FasL antibodies were identified, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for sFasL in human sera was established. Sera from healthy persons did not contain a detectable level of sFasL, whereas those from patients with large granular lymphocytic (LGL) leukemia and natural killer (NK) cell lymphoma did. These malignant cells constitutively expressed FasL, whereas peripheral NK cells from healthy persons expressed FasL only on activation. These results suggested that the systemic tissue damage seen in most patients with LGL leukemia and NK-type lymphoma is due to sFasL produced by these malignant cells. Neutralizing anti-FasL antibodies or matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors may be of use in modulating such tissue damage.

A quantitative analysis of testosterone action on FSH secretion from individual pituitary cells using the cell immunoblot assay

We investigated the effects of testosterone on FSH secretion from male rat anterior pituitary cells in culture at the single cell level. Anterior pituitary cells cultured with or without 10 ng/ml testosterone for 72 h were mono-dispersed and subjected to cell immunoblot assays for FSH. Cell blots specific for FSH were quantified by means of a microscopic image analyzer. The number of FSH-secreting cells detected as immunoreactive cells blots on the transfer membrane represented 4.1% of total pituitary cells applied on the membrane. The amount of FSH secreted by single cells varied from < 20 to > 8,000 fg/cell/h. The number of FSH-secreting cells was not changed by the addition of 10 ng/ml testosterone into the culture medium. Testosterone administration increased the mean FSH secretion by 64% after 3 h incubation, resulting in a shift to the right in the frequency distribution of FSH secretion from single cells. The total amount of FSH, namely the sum of FSH secreted by each FSH-secreting cel, was increased by 92% by the addition of testosterone. However, mean amounts of FSH secretion by the top ten cells of the largest secretor subgroup (> 5 pg/cell/3 h) were not different between control and testosterone-treated groups. The present study analyzed, for the first time, FSH secretion from rat anterior pituitary cells at the single cell level. The results suggest that stimulation by testosterone of FSH secretion in vitro is not due to an increase in the number of FSH-secreting cells but to an increase in FSH secretion from each cell.

Thoracic aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection: new endoscopic mode for three-dimensional CT display of aorta

Three-dimensional (3D) endoscopic-mode software was used at helical computed tomography (CT) to evaluate distal aortic arch aneurysms (n = 12) and aortic dissections (n = 10); images were compared with two-dimensional (2D) axial source images. In distal aortic arch aneurysms, the 3D endoscopic mode depicted the relationship of the arterial orifices and the aneurysm, which is difficult to evaluate with 2D axial images alone. In aortic dissections, however, the 3D endoscopic mode did not provide additional information to that provided on the 2D axial source images.

Augmentation of antitumor immunity using genetically M-CSF-expressing L1210 cells

Macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) enhances tumoricidal activities of macrophages. We transduced human M-CSF cDNA into the mouse lymphoid cell line, L1210, and examined the antitumor effect of the locally expressed M-CSF. Mice injected with the M-CSF-producing subline showed improved survival in comparison with the mock-transfected cell line or parental cell line plus M-CSF administration (20 microg/kg for 3 days) at inoculated cell numbers of 10(2) or 5 x 10(3). The survival rate at 50 days after injection of 10(6) high M-CSF-expressing cells was 80%, significantly higher than that after injection of the mock-transfected cells, which killed all the mice by day 23. The survival rate appeared to depend on the amount of M-CSF produced. Moreover, all surviving mice after intravenous injection of the M-CSF-expressing sublines were rechallenged with 10(6) parental L1210 cells at day 50, and all survived up to day 100, demonstrating that M-CSF-expressing cells induced immune protection against the parental cells. The same improvement of survival was observed in mouse M-CSF-expressing cell lines. These observations imply that M-CSF cDNA is a candidate gene for use in gene therapy in leukemia.

Impairment of maze learning in rats following long-term glucocorticoid treatments

The present study examined the influence of long-term glucocorticoid treatment on a maze learning task on a radial 8-arm maze in rats. Either 100 mg cholesterol (as a control), or corticosterone, bead was implanted in rats for a period of 3 months, beginning at 12 weeks of age. The effect of this treatment on the maze learning task was evaluated during or 4 weeks after the treatments. In both experiments, corticosterone-implanted rats showed an increase in number of trials to attain at least seven correct choices in the first eight choices in five consecutive trials (P < 0.05). We concluded that long-term glucocorticoid exposure resulted in an impairment of the hippocampal functions, i.e. learning and memory, similar to that found in aged hippocampus.

Reduction of hepatic acute phase response after partial hepatectomy in elderly patients

The hepatic capacity for acute phase protein synthesis after partial hepatectomy in the elderly patients was prospectively studied. Forty-one patients who consecutively underwent a partial hepatectomy were grouped according to age of greater or less than 70 years; 12 were in the older group and 29 in the younger. The changes in the levels of serum interleukin-6, alpha 1-antitrypsin, alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, haptoglobin, and plasma fibrinogen were measured after surgery. The postoperative changes in standard liver function tests were also measured. The incidence of postoperative infected complications was 25% in the older group and 7% in the younger (P = 0.28). Although postoperative levels of serum interleukin-6 were similar between the two groups, those of serum alpha 1-antitrypsin, alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, and haptoglobin were significantly lower in the elderly (P < 0.05). Postoperative levels of serum alpha 1-antitrypsin and plasma fibrinogen showed an increase of about 30% compared with the preoperative values (P < 0.05) in the younger group, but no significant increase in the older. Postoperative deterioration of serum albumin levels and hepaplastin test values was also significantly more severe in the older group (P < 0.05). We conclude that in the older patients, a reduction of acute phase protein synthesis occurs after partial hepatectomy as a result of a global deterioration of liver function, and may render patients liable to infection.

Increased serum interleukin-6 level and reduction of hepatic acute-phase response after major hepatectomy

It has been proposed that a major hepatectomy impairs the liver-related host defense mechanism. The changes in the levels of serum inflammatory cytokines and plasma acute-phase proteins synthesized in the liver were measured after partial hepatectomy. Peak levels of serum interleukin-6 were significantly higher after extended lobectomy than after lobectomy or segmentectomy (p < 0.01). Serum interleukin-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor alpha levels showed no significant changes. Plasma levels of acute-phase proteins were significantly lower after lobectomy or extended lobectomy (p < 0.05). A reduced hepatic acute-phase response probably renders patients liable to infection after major hepatectomy.

Three-vessel study of cerebral blood flow using phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging: effect of physical characteristics

The development of phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (P-C MRI) provides a noninvasive method for measurement of volumetric blood flow (VFR). We performed P-C MRI to study the effects of physical characteristics on cerebral blood flow. VFR of the left and right internal carotid arteries and basilar artery were measured using P-C MRI and total cerebral blood flow (tCBF) was calculated by summing up the VFR values in the three vessels. Moreover, we investigated the changes in these blood flows as influenced by age, head size, height, weight, body surface area, and handedness. The blood flows were 142 +/- 58 ml/min (mean +/- standard deviation) in the basilar artery; and 229 +/- 86 ml/min in the left, and 223 +/- 58 ml/min in the right internal carotid artery; and tCBF was 617 +/- 128 ml/min. Significant increases were observed in head size-related change of VFR in the basilar artery (p = .028) and height-related change of tCBF (p = .045). The other characteristics did not significantly influence any VFR. The results suggest that head size and height may reflect CBF, and that these effects should be considered when changes of CBF are diagnosed. Phase-contrast MRI is useful for a noninvasive and rapid analysis of cerebral VFR and has potential for clinical use.

Increased levels of human hepatocyte growth factor in serum and peritoneal fluid after partial hepatectomy

OBJECTIVE/METHOD

It has been reported that inflammatory cytokines up-regulate human hepatocyte growth factor synthesis in vitro. To demonstrate the relation of this growth factor to interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha, the changes in the levels of these cytokines were measured in serum and peritoneal fluid in 22 patients after partial hepatectomy.

RESULTS

Serum and fluids levels of cytokines showed a maximum within 3 days after surgery. Cytokines concentrations were much higher in fluid than in serum (p < 0.05). The maximum serum levels of human hepatocyte growth factor were significantly correlated with those of interleukin-6, intraoperative blood loss, and operating time (p < 0.05) but not resected liver weights. In fluid level, the growth factor was also correlated with interleukin-6 (p < 0.05) but with tumor necrosis factor alpha.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that human hepatocyte growth factor might be locally produced in the injured tissue associated with interleukin-6 and independently of resected liver weights.

LHRH pulse generator is stimulated by naloxone in the pentobarbital-blocked proestrous rat

Previous studies by us and others led us to hypothesize that there are separate LHRH pulse and surge generators in the rat brain. The present study was designed to detect the activity of LHRH pulse generator by checking changes in LH secretion and the multiunit activity (MUA) of the arcuate-median eminence region of the hypothalamus during infusions of naloxone (NAL, 2 mg/h) in the proestrous rat in which the LHRH surge generator activity was blocked by pentobarbital sodium (PB, 32 mg/kg bw, ip). The animals were subjected to blood sampling in the morning (1000-1300 h) or afternoon (1400-1700), and injected with PB at 09.45 or 13.45, respectively. During saline infusions in the rat given PB injection at either 09.45 or 13.45, serum LH levels were low but fluctuated significantly, suggesting a pulsatile secretion in either the morning or the afternoon period. The pulse intervals were an average 28.2 min in the morning and 42.2 min in the afternoon. NAL infusions decreased the pulse interval significantly, to 22.0 min in the morning and to 27.0 min in the afternoon. In the electrophysiological experiment, characteristic increases in the MUA (volleys), which occur in association with the initiation of an LH pulse and therefore are considered to represent an increased activity of the LHRH pulse generator, appeared during NAL (5 mg/h) infusions in either the morning or the afternoon. These results strongly suggest that separate LHRH pulse and surge generators exist in the brain, and that, even during the critical period of proestrus, the activity of LHRH pulse generator is disclosed by PB, which, on the other hand, arrests the surge generator.

Hebbian induction of LTP in visual cortex: perforated patch-clamp study in cultured neurons

1. To see whether presynaptic activation paired with postsynaptic depolarization is necessary for the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) in visual cortex or whether an activation of postsynaptic receptors in conjunction with depolarization is sufficient, we carried out perforated patch-clamp recordings with nystatin from cultured cortical neurons of rats. 2. Recorded neurons were monosynaptically activated either by electrical stimulation of an adjacent neuron or by direct activation of glutamate on "hot spots" of dendrites through iontophoresis or pressure ejection. In experiments in which cultured neurons were stained immunocytochemically with antibody against synaptophysin after electrophysiological recordings, hot spots were found to correspond to probable synaptic sites. 3. Excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) evoked by test stimulation applied to the adjacent neuron at 0.1 Hz were recorded at a holding potential of -60 or -70 mV for 5-10 min after an establishment of the whole cell recording configuration. Then, stimulation was paired with postsynaptic depolarization (0 mV for 200 ms) at 1 Hz for 30 or 60 s. LTP of EPSCs was induced in 7 of the 15 cells from which stable recordings were obtained for 18-30 min after pairing. 4. When postsynaptic depolarization was paired with direct glutamate application in the absence of presynaptic stimulation in 12 cells, only 1 showed LTP. Postsynaptic depolarization alone did not induce LTP in any of the six cells tested. Also, presynaptic stimulation alone did not induce LTP in any of the five cells tested. 5. These results suggest that the concurrent activation of presynaptic elements with postsynaptic depolarization is necessary for the induction of LTP in visual cortex.

Radiographic diagnosis and surgical repair of a sciatic hernia: report of a case

We report the case of a 44-year-old woman who presented with a reducible painless swelling in her left buttock. The mass was preoperatively diagnosed as a sciatic hernia by herniography, which showed the peritoneal sac through the sciatic foramen, and by enterography, intravenous pyelography, and cystography, which demonstrated that the small intestine and urinary bladder had herniated into the sac. The diagnosis and management of this patient are described, followed by a review of the literature on sciatic hernias.

The effect of pentobarbital on the electrical activity of LHRH pulse generator in the ovariectomized rat with or without estrogen priming

Effects of pentobarbital sodium (PB) on the electrical activity of LHRH pulse generator were investigated in the ovariectomized (OVX) rat fitted with chronically implanted electrode arrays in the arcuate-median eminence region of the hypothalamus. PB was injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) at a dose of 32 mg/kg bw, which has blocked the surge of LH secretion when injected at 13.45 on the day of proestrus, presumably by blocking the activity of the LHRH surge generator. After i.p. injection of PB, the first characteristic increase (volley) in the hypothalamic multiunit activity (MUA), each of which was associated with the initiation of an LH pulse, appeared at the mean interval of 42 min, which was significantly greater than the value, 30 min, in the rat given i.p. injection of saline. The second and third MUA volleys appeared, however, at similar intervals to those in rats given saline. There were no significant changes in the amplitude of LH pulses which followed. In the OVX rat implanted with a silastic tube packed with estradiol-benzoate (E2) for 1 day, MUA volleys were unclear, mingled with high background activities, but clear volleys appeared after PB injection. The mean interval of LH pulses in the rat given i.p. injection of saline was 51 min, by 24 min longer than the value in the E2-unimplanted OVX rat. But, after PB injection, the 1st LH pulse appeared at the interval of 37 min, which was by 25 min smaller than that after saline and the overall mean of 3 intervals was 34 min, showing a significant shortage. No PB effect was seen in the LH pulse amplitude in the E2-implanted OVX rat. The presults show that the LHRH pulse generator is much more resistant to PB than the surge generator in the OVX rat either with or without estrogen priming, and in the rat with estrogen priming, the pulse generator is rather activated by PB.

A distinct mRNA encoding a soluble form of ICAM-1 molecule expressed in human tissues

A soluble form of ICAM-1 (sICAM-1) have been observed in normal human serum (Rothlein et al., J. Immunol. 147, 3788-3793) and at elevated levels in inflammatory and tumor bearing status (Seth et al., Lancet, 338, 83-84; Giavazzi et al., Canc. Res. 52, 2628-2630; Harning et al., Canc. Res., 51, 5003-5005). However, the mechanism to produce the sICAM-1 has been still unknown. In this report we presented evidence for the presence of the mRNA specifically encoding sICAM-1, which is probably generated by alternative splice donor site selection. A 19-base deletion occurred right upstream of the transmembrane region gave rise to reading frameshift and eliminate the entire transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains, resulting in incapability of ICAM-1 molecules to reside in the membrane. A reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using a primer pair specific to sICAM-1 revealed a positive expression in all tissues analyzed, though the amount and the ratio to the conventional species varied slightly from tissue to tissue. Inflammatory cytokines displayed a complex pattern in the ICAM-1 mRNA expression depending on the combination of cytokines and the cultured cell lines used.

Longitudinal study of serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) class-specific antibodies against Campylobacter jejuni and GM1 ganglioside in Guillain-Barré syndrome

We report two Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) patients with culture-proven Campylobacter jejuni (Penner19/Lior 7). Elevated anti-C.jejuni IgA antibody declined to the normal range within one month, elevation of anti-C.jejuni IgM antibody lasted for 3 months and the titers of anti-C.jejuni IgG antibody were still elevated at one year after the neurologic onset. Serological criteria for antecedent C.jejuni infection in GBS patients should require 1) high titer of serum IgA and/or IgM antibody against C.jejuni followed by seroconversion of the IgA and/or IgM and 2) a 4-fold decline of IgG serum dilution against C.jejuni. Anti-C.jejuni antibodies in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) reached the maximum value at one month after their neurologic onset which may not be responsible for the main pathological mechanism in the development of GBS. Anti-GM1 antibodies in serum and CSF were parallel with those of anti-C.jejuni antibodies during the course of the disease.

Permissive role of corticotropin-releasing factor in the acute stress-induced prolactin release in female rats

The present study examined the role of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in the acute stress-induced release of prolactin (PRL) in ovariectomized estrogen-primed female rats. Acute immobilization stress induced a marked increase in serum PRL levels in animals treated with saline intraventricularly (i.c.v.). However, a prior icv injection of alpha-helical CRF(9-41), a CRF antagonist, completely eliminated the immobilization-induced PRL release in the majority of animals, providing evidence for involvement of CRF in the acute stress-induced PRL release. On the other hand, an i.c.v. injection of CRF did not affect basal PRL release at any dose in non-stressed animals, suggesting that the peptide plays a permissive role which enables other undefined stress mediator(s) to stimulate PRL release.

Relation between micellar structure of model bile and activity of esterase

In a model bile solution composed of lecithin (L)-bile salt (B), the solubilization of lipid and the accessibility of enzyme to the lipid were examined by observation of EPR spectra and measurement of enzyme activity. The lifetime of the spin probe in the micellar phase was estimated to be approx. 1 microsecond by means of line shape analysis. Both population and lifetime increased with temperature and the molar ratio of lecithin to bile salt (L/B). The EPR data indicated that simple micelle of bile salt, mixed disk micelle of bile salt-lecithin, and multi-lamellar mixed disk micelle can exist in a model bile solution, depending on the L/B molar ratio across a range from 0 to 1.5. The maximal power of the mixed disk micelle to solubilize cholesteryl ester in the model bile at a L/B molar ratio of 1:1 was confirmed by EPR measurement of cholesteryl 12-DOXYL-stearate. Observation of the enzyme activity on a mixture of model bile and substrate at 37 degrees C revealed selective accessibility of cholesterol esterase (bovine pancreas) to mixed disk micelle, of cholesterol oxidase (Streptomyces cinnamomeus) to both simple and mixed disk micelle, and of pancreatic lipase (porcine pancreas) to both simple micelle and an oil droplet of substrate. The temperature-dependent activity of cholesterol oxidase to cholesterol in mixed disk micelle can be explained in terms of mesomorphic phase transition of lecithin side chains followed with fluidity of liquid crystal phase. Regarding phospholipase C from Bacillus cereus, though the selective accessibility to the micelles was not observed at 37 degrees C, a decrease in activity for mixed disk micelle could be found at lower temperatures.

Acute stress suppresses the N-methyl-D-aspartate-induced luteinizing hormone release in the ovariectomized estrogen-primed rat

The effects of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LH-RH) on luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion were examined in ovariectomized estrogen-primed rats under nonstressed and acutely stressed conditions. The basal LH levels were significantly elevated 15 min after the onset of acute immobilization stress, but were not altered in emotionally stressed or nonstressed rats. Intravenous injections of 10 and 40 mg/kg NMDA significantly elevated serum LH levels by 161 and 212%, respectively, from baseline within 10 min in nonstressed animals. However, the NMDA-induced LH release was significantly reduced when tested 30 min after the onset of acute immobilization stress. Acute emotional stress, which did not affect the baseline LH, also suppressed the LH release response to NMDA, suggesting that the reduced LH responses to NMDA in stressed animals was not due to the elevated baseline level. Pituitary LH release responses to LH-RH were not affected by acute immobilization. We conclude from these results: (1) acute immobilization stress exerts both stimulatory and inhibitory effects on LH release, while acute emotional stress has only an inhibitory effect in estrogen-primed ovariectomized rats; (2) this inhibition occurs at the suprapituitary level, and (3) it involves a suppression of the responsiveness of the hypothalamic LH-RH neuronal system to the excitatory amino acid input.

[Primary seminoma of the prostate and embryonal cell carcinoma of the left testis in one patient: a case report]

A 27-year-old Japanese male presented with gross hematuria and right frank pain, and was diagnosed of having a right ureteral stone by IVP. Though the stone was passed spontaneously, gross hematuria continued, and his urinary stream became week. The prostate was moderately enlarged. The prostate biopsy was initially thought to represent prostate rabdomyosarcoma. He underwent a pelvic extenteration followed by chemotherapy with dacarbazing and ADM. Three years after the pelvic exenteration, coin lesions were found on a chest X-ray film. He was diagnosed as embryonal cell carcinoma of the left testis with pulmonary metastasis and received 3 courses of PVB therapy. At this time, the former diagnosis of prostatic rabdomyosarcoma was changed to prostatic rabdomyosarcoma was changed to prostatic seminoma, because placental-ALP staining was positive. This patient had two distinct germinal cell tumors in the prostate and the left testis. He was alive without any tumor recurrence 20 months after PVB chemotherapy. To the best of our knowledge our report represents the first patient of seminoma of the prostate in the world.