Expression of the colH gene encoding Clostridium histolyticum collagenase in Bacillus subtilis and its application to enzyme purification

The colH gene encoding 116-kDa collagenase of Clostridium histolyticum (cColH) was cloned into an Escherichia coli-Bacillus subtilis shuttle vector to develop a method for purification of recombinant collagenase (rColH). When plasmid pJCM310 containing the colH gene was introduced into B. subtilis DB104 and the transformant was grown in LB broth at 37 C, stability of the plasmid was not maintained. However, stability was partly improved by growing the transformant in a modified LB broth containing 0.5 M sodium succinate with gentle shaking at 35 C. When the transformant was grown to an optical density of 0.4 at 600 nm in this medium, pJCM310 was stable and rColH was produced in sufficient amounts. rColH was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. The yield of rColH from an 800-ml culture was 0.53 mg and its specific activity was estimated to be 1,210 U per mg of protein. The purified rColH was capable of degrading native type-I collagen fibril from bovine achilles tendon, as was demonstrated by zymography. A comparison of the N-terminal amino acid sequence between cColH and rColH revealed that rColH has 10 extra N-terminal amino acid residues. However, the peptide mapping of rColH with V8 protease was virtually identical to that of cColH. Furthermore, the molecular mass of rColH was estimated to be 112,999 Da by mass spectrometry, coinciding with the value of 112,977 Da, which was predicted from the nucleotide sequence of the colH gene. Therefore, the recombinant B. subtilis culture is capable of serving as a useful source for enzyme purification.

Purification, characterization, and primary structure of Clostridium perfringens lambda-toxin, a thermolysin-like metalloprotease

The lambda-toxin of Clostridium perfringens type B NCIB10691 was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, followed by size exclusion, anion-exchange, and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The purified toxin had an apparent molecular mass of 36 kDa, as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The toxin possessed casein-hydrolyzing activity, which was inhibited specifically by metal chelators, indicating that the toxin is a metalloprotease. The gene encoding the lambda-toxin (lam), which was shown by Southern analysis to be located on a 70-kb plasmid, was cloned into Escherichia coli cells. Nucleotide and N-terminal amino acid sequencing revealed that the lam gene encodes a 553-amino-acid protein, which is processed into a mature form, the molecular mass of which was calculated to be 35,722 Da. The deduced amino acid sequence of the mature enzyme contains an HEXXH motif characteristic of zinc metalloproteases and is homologous to other known enzymes belonging to the thermolysin family. The purified toxin degraded various biologically important substances, such as collagen, fibronectin, fibrinogen, immunoglobulin A, and the complement C3 component. It caused an increase in vascular permeability and hemorrhagic edema on injection into the dorsal skin of mice. These results suggest that the toxin contributes to the pathogenesis of histolytic infection by lambda-toxin-producing C. perfringens.

Characterization of a specific monoclonal antibody 9F5-3a and the development of assay system for oxidized HDL

We obtained a monoclonal antibody 9F5-3a against oxidative low-density lipoprotein (LDL) modified with CuSO4 and established a sandwich ELISA for detection of oxidized high-density lipoprotein (oxHDL). The 9F5-3a was reacted strongly with oxHDL and to a lesser degree with oxLDL and LDL. In contrast, little or no reactivity was found with HDL. When the generation of oxHDL was limited by the addition of alpha-tocopherol and catalase, reactivity to 9F5-3a was reduced. Incubation of oxHDL with excess lyso-phosphatidylcholine (lyso-PC) also reduced immunoreactivity, but not by only lyso-PC. These results suggested that the epitope is possibly associated with oxHDL-linked lyso-PC induced mainly by the hydroxyl radical.

Effect of troglitazone (CS-045) and bezafibrate on glucose tolerance, liver glycogen synthase activity, and beta-oxidation in fructose-fed rats

To clarify the relationship between lipid and glucose metabolism abnormalities in fructose-fed rats, we examined whether an improvement of insulin sensitivity by troglitazone (CS-045) or a decrease in plasma lipids by bezafibrate affects the relationship between serum levels of lipid and glucose. In addition, we also examined changes in liver glycogen metabolism and beta-oxidation in fructose-fed rats. Troglitazone ameliorated fasting hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and hyperinsulinemia. In addition, it augmented glycogen synthase activity by 53%, and decreased the mitochondrial palmitic acid beta-oxidation rate and ketone body production rate by 27% and 55%, respectively. However, hyperglycemia and liver glycogen synthase activity were not improved by bezafibrate treatment despite a marked reduction of serum triglyceride (TG) levels resulting from a 1.76-fold increase in mitochondrial oxidation and a 2.04-fold increase in hepatic ketone body production. These results suggest that abnormalities in glucose and lipid metabolism in fructose-fed rats, which are ameliorated by troglitazone, may be closely linked to reduced glycogen synthase activity in the liver.

Phylogenetic analysis of phospholipase C genes from Clostridium perfringens types A to E and Clostridium novyi

The phylogenetic interrelationships between strains of 5 toxin types (A to E) of Clostridium perfringens were examined by analysis of differences in the nucleotide sequences of phospholipase C genes (plc genes) among 10 strains, including 3 strains for which the plc gene sequences have been previously reported. A plc gene was also cloned from a Clostridium novyi type A strain and sequenced to analyze the interspecies diversity of plc genes. Phylogenetic trees constructed by the neighbor-joining method revealed that the phylogeny of C. perfringens strains is not related to toxin typing, in agreement with the results of a comparative genome mapping study by Canard et al. (B. Canard, B. Saint-Joanis, and S. T. Cole, Mol. Microbiol. 6:1421-1429, 1992). Various C. perfringens phospholipase C enzymes were purified from cultures of Escherichia coli cells into which the encoding plc genes had been cloned. All of the enzymes showed the same specific activity. On the other hand, the level of plc transcripts differed greatly (up to 40-fold) from one C. perfringens strain to another. No significant difference in the nucleotide sequence of the plc promoter region was observed for any of the plc genes. These results suggest that the variation in phospholipase C activity among different strains is not due to mutation in the plc coding region but to that in an extragenic region. The evolution of C. perfringens phospholipase C is discussed on the basis of similarities and differences between clostridial plc genes.

Treatment of cystic lesions of soft tissue using fibrin sealant

A new method was devised for treating 29 patients with cystic lesions of the soft tissue (popliteal cysts, bursitis, and ganglia) by injecting a fibrin sealant into the cyst after the aspiration of the contents. During the followup period (mean, 2.2 years), cysts did not recur in 22 (76%) patients. Of the 7 patients with recurrences, 4 were treated again in the same manner and 3 of these cases have not recurred. Additionally, to investigate the healing process in cysts, fibrin sealant was injected into the space between the abdominal muscle and the peritoneum of rats. Specimens were obtained after the rats were sacrificed at 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks after injection, and were examined histopathologically. The fibrin sealant was found to be completely resorbed and replaced with organized granulation tissue. In case of multiple failed aspirations to the cystic lesions, this new method is recommended before surgery.

Molecular cloning and sequencing of the hcs gene, which encodes 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A synthase of Schizosaccharomyces pombe

We have cloned and sequenced the hcs gene, which is thought to encode a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) synthase consisting of 447 amino acids, from the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. The predicted amino acid sequence of the hcs product of S. pombe has homology with the HMG-CoA synthase of rat (47.8%), chicken (49.2%), hamster (47.1%) and human cells (46.9%). One of the hcs genes was replaced with a marker gene in the diploid cell. No viable hcs-disrupted haploid was isolated after tetrad dissection, suggesting that the hcs gene is essential for growth. However the hcs-defective mutant could be grown on a medium containing 5 mg/ml mevalonate. These results strongly support that the hcs gene encodes HMG-CoA synthase and S. pombe contains a single copy of the hcs gene.

Protective effect of the combined vaccine prepared from cell-free-antigen of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotypes 1, 2 and 5 in pigs

Cell-free-antigens prepared from a concentrated culture supernatant of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (A. pleuropneumoniae) serotypes 1, 2 and 5 were mixed and emulsified with oil adjuvant. The combined vaccine of these 3 serotypes of A. pleuropneumoniae was tested for its ability to confer protection. Pigs immunized with the combined vaccine survived and showed no clinical signs against an intratracheal challenge with A. pleuropneumoniae. In contrast, control pigs inoculated with concentrated culture media emulsified with oil adjuvant developed typical symptoms of pleuropneumonia after challenge inoculation.

A Method for Purification of Clostridium perfringens Phospholipase C from Recombinant Bacillus subtilis Cells

We developed a method to purify Clostridium perfringens phospholipase C from a culture of recombinant Bacillus subtilis cells. This method consists of three purification steps, and it allowed us to obtain 6.2 mg of pure phospholipase C from 800 ml of culture.

Cerebral gumma showing linear dural enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging--Case report

A 51-year-old male presented with a rare cerebral gumma accompanied by abducens nerve paresis and cerebellar infarction. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging demonstrated a homogeneous enhance mass lesion and adjacent linearly enhanced dura mater. Histological examination of the mass revealed a caseating granuloma. Serological studies were positive for active syphilis. Although linear dural enhancement adjacent to the mass lesion on MR imaging is characteristic of meningioma, this finding is also demonstrated in cerebral gumma. Therefore, cerebral gummas should also be included in the differential diagnosis. Immunological tests for syphilis (serum, cerebrospinal fluid) can confirm the diagnosis.

Choroid plexus carcinoma in the lateral ventricle--case report

A 68-year-old male presented with choroid plexus carcinoma in the left lateral ventricle manifesting as dysarthria and gait disturbance. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a homogeneously enhanced mass in the trigone of the left lateral ventricle. Selective left posterior cerebral arteriography showed the tumor was fed by the left medial posterior choroidal artery. Detailed examinations found no evidence of an extraneural primary focus. He underwent partial removal of the tumor followed by local Lineac irradiation (50 Gy). After irradiation, the serum level of carcinoembryonic antigen decreased and the size of the residual tumor was reduced.

Rapid expansion of the physical and genetic map of the chromosome of Clostridium perfringens CPN50

The physical map of the 3.6-megabase chromosome of Clostridium perfringens CPN50 was extended by positioning sites for the endonucleases SfiI and I-CeuI, and in parallel, the gene map was expanded by using a genome scanning strategy. This involved the cloning and sequencing of random chromosomal fragments, identification of the functions of the putative genes by database searches, and then hybridization analysis. The current gene map comprises almost 100 markers, many of which encode housekeeping functions while others are involved in sporulation or pathogenesis. Strikingly, most of the virulence genes were found to be confined to a 1,200-kb segment of the chromosome near oriC, while the pleiotropic regulatory locus, virRS, was situated toward the putative replication terminus. A comparison of the gene maps of three endospore-forming bacilli, C. perfringens, Clostridium beijerinckii, and Bacillus subtilis, revealed a similar order and distribution of key sporulation and heat shock genes which might reflect an ancient evolutionary relationship.

[An operative case of the dumbbell type retromediastinal schwannoma]

Neurogenic tumors of the mediastinum with an intraspinal component connected by a narrowed segment in the intervertebral one are generally described as dumbbell or hour-glass tumors, which need cautious and precise diagnoses and remedies, compared with other neurological tumors. A 62-year-old male was admitted to our hospital for abnormal tumor shadow in the chest X-ray film. We diagnosed this case as dumbbell type neurogenic tumor by MRI and CT. An operation was performed by modified Grillo's method: One-stage operation. With patient in prone position, L-shaped skin incision was made. Through total laminectomy of T-5 and T-6 and resection of the 6th rib, paravertebral portion of the tumor was removed, and thoracotomy in the same position under the same view enabled us to remove the residual tumor. Histopathological diagnosis was schwannoma. After the operation, no neurological complications were detected.

Protective efficacy of cell-free-antigen of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae in mice

Cell-free-antigen (CFA) vaccines of strain Y-1 (serotype 1), G-4 (serotype 2) and E-3 (serotype 5) of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (A. pleuropneumoniae) were prepared by emulsifying concentrated culture supernatant with oil-adjuvant. Mice immunized with the CFA vaccine had a high survival rate (90-100%) against challenge with the homologous strain. They also had cross-protective activity against challenge with the heterogeneous strains but their survival rate was low (20-50%). On the other hand, mice immunized with whole cell vaccine showed serotype specific protection and only a little cross protection. The protective antigens of the CFA were investigated. MAbs were produced by the standard method using spleen cells of mice immunized with CFA. MAbs to Apx I, II, III and capsular antigen of serotype 5 were obtained. Only MAbs to Apx I showed hemolysin neutralization activity among them. The protective effect of these MAbs against A. pleuropneumoniae infection were examined by passive immunization. Administration of Apx I MAb to mice extended survival time after challenge with serotype 5. The mice showed partial cross-protection against challenge with serotype 1. Survival rate was considerably low after the challenge infection. None of the mice given MAbs to Apx II or III were protected against challenge with serotype 5. The mice given MAb to capsular antigen of serotype 5 had a high survival rate (70%) against a challenge with a homologous serotype. Furthermore, mice given MAbs against Apx I and capsular antigen of serotype 5 were completely protected against a challenge with A. pleuropneumoniae serotype 5.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[A case report of aldosterone-producing adrenocortical adenoma complicated with chronic renal failure associated with nephrocalcinosis: review of APAs complicated with chronic renal failure]

A 57-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of dyspnea due to congestive heart failure caused by hypertensive heart disease in September, 1992. Twenty years ago, he was diagnosed to be hypertensive, and in 1980, he was diagnosed to at our hospital to have primary aldosteronism (PA) due to a right aldosterone-producing adrenocortical adenoma (APA). There were no hypertensive vascular complications at that time. He refused surgical removal, and anti-hypertensive drugs including spironolactone were administered. However, his drug compliance was very inaccurate. On this recent admission, left ventricular hypertrophy associated with impaired contractivity, hypertensive retinal change and mild protein uria were noted, but no hematuria was detected. His renal function was impaired (Ccr: 15.2ml/min). An abdominal CT scan showed a typical right APA, bilateral renal atrophy and fine granular calcification at renal medulla, even though he had no hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria. In addition, multiple cerebral infarction was demonstrated by a brain CT scan, along with coronary artery stenoses at the right coronary artery and left circumflex branch by coronary angiography and bilateral multiple renal artery stenoses by renal angiography. Right adrenalectomy and renal biopsy were performed. Histological examinations revealed a yellow tan-colored APA, many sclerotic glomerulus, and severely hyarinized renal arterioles. After adrenalectomy, blood pressure was not normalized but was controlled easily by hypotensive agents. Impaired renal function was not improved and deteriorated slightly but did not get worse there after. Since 1959, including ours, 22 cases of APAs complicated with chronic renal failure were reported in Japan. In conclusion, surgical removal should be recommended for APA, even if the patient's condition is complicated with chronic renal failure.

The enterotoxin gene (cpe) of Clostridium perfringens can be chromosomal or plasmid-borne

The location of the cpe gene, encoding the enterotoxin responsible for food poisoning in humans, has been studied in a series of enterotoxigenic Clostridium perfringens strains by means of pulsed field gel electrophoresis of genomic DNA. The cpe gene was found at the same chromosomal locus in strains associated with food poisoning in humans and was shown to be linked to a repetitive sequence, the HindIII repeat, and an open reading frame, ORF3, that may be part of an insertion sequence. In contrast, when the strains originated from domesticated livestock cpe was located on a large episome where it was often close to a copy of the transposable element IS1151. In these cases, the HindIII repeat was not linked to the cpe gene although this was generally preceded by ORF3.

Projection of cardiovascular afferents to the lateral nodulus-uvula of the cerebellum in rabbits

Vagal and aortic afferent projections to the nodulus and uvula of the cerebellar vermis were examined in anesthetized and paralysed rabbits. Electrical stimulations of vagal and aortic nerves at a frequency of 1/s produced field potentials in the lateral cortical region of the contralateral nodulus-uvula with a latency of 6.5-19 ms. These potentials were negative in the molecular layer and positive in the granular layer. At a higher stimulation rate (30/s), these potentials were reduced by 60-65% of the control value. These results indicate that the lateral cortical region of the nodulus-uvula receives contralateral vagal and aortic afferent signals via climbing fibers. Electrical stimulation of vagal nerves also produced field potentials in the lateral region of the ipsilateral nodulus-uvula with a latency of 6-10.5 ms. Their laminal profile was characteristic of mossy fiber responses. At a higher stimulation rate (30/s), the reduction of these potentials was only 35%. Thus the lateral nodulus-uvula also receives the ipsilateral vagal afferent signals via mossy fibers. Following injection of horseradish peroxidase into the small areas of the lateral nodulus, labeled cells were found in bilateral intercalatus nucleus, prepositus hypogrossal nucleus, Roller nucleus, medial fascicullus longitudinalis, and medial and lateral vestibular nuclei. These nuclei may contain precerebellar neurons in the pathway from the vagal nerve to the lateral nodulus-uvula via mossy fibers.

[Vasomotor impairment in patients with diabetic neuropathy--evaluation by laser Doppler flowmetry]

Using laser Doppler flowmetry, we evaluated cutaneous microcirculation in 28 patients with diabetic neuropathy and 18 control subjects. Skin blood flow in the hand was significantly reduced in the patients compared with that in age-matched controls. Skin blood flow in the hand of the patients correlated significantly with the amplitude of sensory nerve action potential of the median nerve. Significant correlation was shown in the patients between skin blood flow in the hand and changes in systolic blood pressure on standing from a supine position. However, there was no correlation between skin blood flow in the hand and variation in the R-R interval. These results suggest that the skin blood flow may decrease with the progression of diabetic neuropathy, particularly sympathetic autonomic neuropathy, and that neural control may be an important factor in the regulation of skin blood flow. Cold water immersion test revealed that there was no significant difference in vasoconstrictive response during the cold challenge, while recovery time of vasodilatory response after withdrawal of the thermal challenge was significantly prolonged in the patients as compared with that in the controls. In addition, it is suggested that the patients with a small increase or normal in skin blood flow of the hand may possess abnormalities predominantly in vasoconstrictive tone, whereas the patients with a decrease in skin blood flow of the hand in vasodilatory tone. Consequently, microcirculation in skin of extremities changes under the balance of vasoconstrictive and vasodilatory tones in patients with diabetic neuropathy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Reciprocal changes in left ventricular collagen alpha 1 chain gene expression between types I and IV in spontaneously diabetic rats

The characteristic features of diabetic cardiomyopathy have been reported to be increased collagen formation associated with impairment of ventricular performance, based on experimental models of diabetes. The present study was therefore designed to clarify collagen gene expression in hearts obtained from female spontaneously diabetic BioBreeding Worcester Tokyo (BB/W@Tky) rats. Cardiac hypertrophy was observed as early as 14 weeks in diabetic BB/W@Tky rats, i.e. 4 weeks after the onset of diabetes. Left ventricular gene expression of collagen alpha 1 (I) was decreased to 10.6% of the control level. In 24-week-old diabetic rats, which had more marked cardiac hypertrophy, the level of alpha 1 Type I collagen mRNA was further decreased to 5.7% of the control level, whereas collagen alpha 1 (IV) mRNA demonstrated a 3-fold increase. As a result, a ratio of collagen alpha 1 (IV) to actin mRNA was positively correlated with plasma glucose concentration. These results suggest that hyperglycemia may alter the gene expression of extracellular matrix proteins, resulting in the morphological and functional changes seen in diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Calcium-activated neutral proteinase (calpain) system in aging and Alzheimer's disease

Calpains (CANPs) are a family of calcium-dependent cysteine proteases under complex cellular regulation. By making selective limited proteolytic cleavages, they activate or alter the regulation of certain enzymes, including key protein kinases and phosphatases, and induce specific cytoskeletal rearrangements, accounting for their suspected involvement in intracellular signaling, vesicular trafficking, and structural stabilization. Calpain activity has been implicated in various aging phenomena, including cataract formation and erythrocyte senescence. Abnormal activation of the large stores of latent calpain in neurons induces cell injury and is believed to underlie neurodegeneration in excitotoxicity, Wallerian degeneration, and certain other neuropathologic states involving abnormal calcium influx. In Alzheimer's disease, we found the ratio of activated calpain I to its latent precursor isoform in neocortex to be threefold higher than that in normal individuals and those with Huntington's or Parkinson's disease. Immunoreactivity toward calpastatin, the endogenous inhibitor of calpain, was also markedly reduced in layers II-V of the neocortex in Alzheimer's disease. The excessive calpain system activation suggested by these findings represents a potential molecular basis for synaptic loss and neuronal cell death in the brain in Alzheimer's disease given the known destructive actions of calpain I and its preferential neuronal and synaptic localization. In surviving cells, persistent calpain activation may also contribute to neurofibrillary pathology and abnormal amyloid precursor protein trafficking/processing through its known actions on protein kinases and the membrane skeleton. The degree of abnormal calpain activation in the brain in Alzheimer's disease strongly correlated with the extent of decline in levels of secreted amyloid precursor protein in brain. Cytoskeletal proteins that are normally good calpain substrates become relatively calpain resistant when they are hyperphosphorylated, which may contribute to their accumulation in neurofibrillary tangles. As a major effector of calcium signals, calpain activity may mirror disturbances in calcium homeostasis and mediate important pathologic consequences of such disturbances.

Prenatal diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy by polymerase chain reaction analysis

The efficacy of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the first-trimester prenatal diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) was examined. Twenty-seven fetuses from 26 Japanese pedigrees at risk for DMD were analyzed. PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, multiplex PCR, and dinucleotide repeat polymorphism analysis were used. Of 16 males, 11 were determined to be unaffected, 4 were affected, and the remaining 1 was undetermined. Of the 11 female fetuses, 1 was diagnosed as a noncarrier, 4 were carriers, and the carrier status of the remaining 6 was not determined at the option of the patients, although DNA polymorphisms could be detected in those patients. Prenatal diagnosis by PCR analysis was possible in 96% of the fetuses tested (26 of 27).

CAG expansions in a novel gene for Machado-Joseph disease at chromosome 14q32.1

We have identified a novel gene containing CAG repeats and mapped it to chromosome 14q32.1, the genetic locus for Machado-Joseph disease (MJD). In normal individuals the gene contains between 13 and 36 CAG repeats, whereas most of the clinically diagnosed patients and all of the affected members of a family with the clinical and pathological diagnosis of MJD show expansion of the repeat-number (from 68-79). Southern blot analyses and genomic cloning demonstrates the existence of related genes. These results raise the possibility that similar abnormalities in related genes may give rise to diseases similar to MJD.

[A case of hemangioblastoma in the thalamus]

Supratentorial hemangioblastoma is encountered very rarely. About 80 cases in all have been reported. The authors present a case of supratentorial hemangioblastoma in the thalamus with gradually enlarging cysts. The patient was a 45-year-old man with complaints of left hemiparesis and headache. Computed tomographic scans of the brain showed a cystic mass with mural nodule in the right thalamus. Left vertebral angiography demonstrated a vascular tumor fed by a thalamogeniculate artery. A right temporo-parietal craniotomy was performed and the tumor was totally resected through the transcortical approach. The histological diagnosis was hemangioblastoma. Post-operative course was good except for a minor complication of the left lower quadrant homonymous hemianopsia and left hemiparesis which had disappeared at the time of discharge.