Studies on ras oncogene activation in endometrial carcinoma

The frequency of K-ras point mutation(PM) at codon 12 was studied in 45 patients with endometrial carcinoma. In vitro amplification of target sequences of DNA extracted from endometrial cancer tissues by polymerase chain reaction and dot blotting with oligonucleotide hybridization were performed. Ten of 45 endometrial carcinomas disclosed K-ras PM at codon 12 (22.2%). Transition from GGT to GAT was most frequent in PM(41.7%). Simultaneously, double PM (GAT/GCT) were also detected in 2 cases. No relationship appeared to be present between PM and clinical prognosis such as clinical stage, histological type, histological grade of differentiation, depth of myometrial invasion, and ascitic cytology. The positive rates of lymph node metastasis tended to be higher in the group with positive PM than in the group without PM. K-ras and C-myc gene amplifications were found in 2 (5.1%) and 3 (7.7%) of 39 cases, respectively. No PM of H-ras at codons 12 and 61 was detected. Our results showed that the PM of K-ras gene at codon 12 was a fairly common event in genetic abnormality and suggested it would have some role in the progression of carcinogenesis in endometrial carcinoma.

Urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase and beta-aminoisobutyric acid in workers occupationally exposed to metals such as chromium, nickel, and iron

To examine the relationships between the urinary excretion of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) and beta-aminoisobutyric acid (AIBA) as a metabolite of thymine, and exposure to chromium, nickel, and iron, we determined these parameters in 58 workers engaged in the cutting and grinding of stainless steel or iron-steel plates. A significant increase in urinary NAG activity or urinary AIBA excretion was found in some of these workers. However, we could not find a significant positive correlation between the urinary excretion of NAG or AIBA and the urinary concentration of chromium, nickel, or iron as an indicator of internal dose.

Pharmacological actions of "kyushin," a drug containing toad venom (3): Effects on experimentally induced arrhythmia

The pharmacological effects of the toad venom-containing drug "kyushin" on aconitine- and thyroxine-induced arrhythmia in guinea pigs, on the conduction system in Langendorff preparations of rabbit hearts and on the autonomic nervous system in cats were studied. "kyushin" significantly inhibited the aconitine-induced arrhythmia after intraduodenal administration (i.d.) with 80 mg/kg, and the thyroxine-induced arrhythmia with 40 mg/kg i.d. Although "kyushin" itself did not affect the conduction system with 30 mg/ml of the maximal concentration being able to be prepared, bufalin and cinobufagin as constituents of toad venom produced inhibition with 0.3 mg/ml and 1 mg/ml, respectively. The decrease in heart rate induced by electrical stimulation to the parasympathetic nerve (vagus nerve) was potentiated by "kyushin" at 30 mg/kg i.d. The anti-arrhythmic effects of "kyushin" may be attributable to both possible inhibitory effect on the conduction system and potentiating effect on the parasympathetic nervous system.

A simple and rapid method for HLA-DQA1 genotyping by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism and restriction enzyme cleavage analysis

A simple and rapid method for identification of alleles at the human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-DQA1 locus is described. The polymorphic second exon of the HLA-DQA1 locus was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. The amplified DNA was analyzed by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and restriction enzyme cleavage assay. Using this method, the eight known DQA1 alleles could be distinguished from each other. This paper suggests that the method can be used for quick genotyping of DQA1 alleles, but detecting point mutations at various positions in a fragment as well as new HLA-DQA1 genotypes should also be possible.

Immunohistochemical and ultrastructural investigation of new membrane-associated placental tissue proteins (MP2 A, B, C, D, and E) in gynecologic neoplasms

New membrane-associated placental tissue proteins (MP2 A, B, C, D, and E) were investigated immunohistochemically by avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase technique and immunoelectron microscopy in various gynecologic neoplasms and normal gynecologic tissues. MP2 A and MP2 B were not specific for malignant tumors. MP2 C was present in 67-100% of ovarian carcinomas, 100% of benign dermoid cysts, and 77% of endometrial carcinomas. Except for endocervical adenocarcinomas, MP2 D was hardly detectable in gynecologic malignancies. Although MP2 E was hardly detectable in benign gynecologic tumors, this protein was present in ovarian carcinomas, uterine squamous carcinomas, endocervical adenocarcinomas, and endometrial adenocarcinomas. These results suggest a possible clinical application of these MP2 proteins as a new tumor marker for gynecologic malignancies.

Development of a flow-cytometric HLA-A locus mutation assay for human peripheral blood lymphocytes

A flow-cytometric technique was developed to measure the frequency of variant lymphocytes lacking expression of HLA-A2 or A24 allele products among donors heterozygous for HLA-A2 or A24. It was found that the variant frequency of lymphocytes in peripheral blood was of the order of 10(-4) and increased with donor age. Molecular analyses of mutant clones revealed that about one-third were derived from somatic recombinations and that the remaining two-thirds did not show any alterations after Southern blotting analysis. In contrast, mutants obtained after in vitro X-ray mutagenesis study were found to be mostly derived from large chromosomal deletions. A small-scale study on atomic bomb survivors did not show a significant dose effect.

[Effects of bufadienolides and some kinds of cardiotonics on guinea pig hearts]

Effects of bufadienolides such as bufalin (BF) and cinobufagin (CB), the main components of Senso (Ch'an Su), on myocardial Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity, the cardiotonic activity in vivo and the action potential of isolated guinea pig papillary muscle cells were compared with those of other cardiotonic drugs. 1) The rank order of potency for inhibition of myocardial Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity was BF greater than digoxin (DG) greater than digitoxin (DT) greater than telocinobufagin greater than gamabufotalin greater than cinobufotalin greater than CB greater than g-strophanthin (GS) greater than digitoxigenin (DTG) greater than resibufogenin (RB) when compared at the 50% inhibitory concentration. 2) In isolated papillary muscle cells, CB shortened the action potential duration (APD) dose-dependently. The order of potency for shortening of APD was GS greater than CB greater than DTG much greater than DT. 3) In open-chest guinea pigs, intraduodenal administration of BF or CB increased the myocardial contractile force (MCF), but did not affect the heart rate. The order of potency for increase in MCF was as follows: methyldigoxin, proscillaridin greater than BF greater than CB greater than DG greater than Senso much greater than DT, DTG, RB. These results indicate that CB has a shortening effect on APD and an inhibitory effect on Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity along with its cardiotonic effect, like GS.

Isolation of substance P binding protein from rat brain

Substance P (SP) binding protein of rat brain was solubilized by digitonin. The solubilized proteins were then purified by sequential gel filtration, concanavalin A lectin Sepharose, and SP-affinity chromatography. The calculated molecular weight of this purified SP binding protein was 76-74 kDa on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The rabbits were immunized with the purified protein and resulting polyclonal anti-sera were tested. The immune serum significantly inhibited [3H]SP binding to the 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propane sulfonate solubilized membrane fractions from rat brain, whereas pre-bleed antiserum failed to inhibit the binding. This polyclonal antibody also inhibited the activity of 45Ca influx into astroglioma cells stimulated by SP, but does not inhibit that stimulated by histamine. Furthermore, this polyclonal antibody recognized the 76-74 kDa band as assessed by Western blotting. These data strongly suggest that this polyclonal antibody could recognize a part of the natural SP receptor site.

The immunohistochemical localization of new membrane-associated placental tissue proteins (MP2 A, B, C, D, and E) in human and cynomolgus monkey placentae

New membrane-associated placental tissue proteins (MP2 A, B, C, D, and E) were investigated by avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase technique in the human and cynomolgus monkey placentae, decidua and umbilical cords. In human early placentae, MP2 A, B, C, and E were localized mainly in the membrane of villous syncytiotrophoblasts and cytotrophoblasts. Histiocytes in the villous stroma were positive for MP2 A, B, D, and E. In human term placentae, obvious positive staining for MP2 A, B, C, and E was observed in the membrane of villous syncytiotrophoblasts, in the amniotic epithelium, and in the umbilical cord sheath. Histiocytes in the villous stroma were positive for MP2 A, B, C, E, and especially for MP2 D. Importantly, MP2 A, C, and E were positive in polymorphonuclear neutrophils, since most of these common antigens are also carcinoma-associated, suggesting clinical usage of MP2 proteins as a new tumor marker. In the cynomolgus monkey placentae, similar immuno-staining results were obtained. The monkey can thus serve as a experimental model for the investigation of the placental proteins.

Evidence for in vivo clonal proliferation of unique population of blood CD4-/CD8- T cells bearing T-cell receptor alpha and beta chains in two normal men

Rare T lymphocytes bearing CD3 surface antigen and T-cell receptor (TCR) alpha and beta chains, but lacking both CD4 and CD8 antigens, viz, TCR alpha beta+CD4-8- cells, appear at a frequency of 0.1% to 2% in peripheral blood TCR alpha beta+ cells of normal donors. Here we report two unusual cases, found among 100 healthy individuals studied, who showed an abnormally elevated frequency of these T cells, ie, 5% to 10% and 14% to 19%. Southern blot analyses of the TCR alpha beta+CD4-8- clones all showed the identical rearrangement patterns for each individual, demonstrating that these are derivatives of a single T cell. The same rearrangement patterns were also observed for the freshly isolated lymphocytes of TCR alpha beta+CD4-CD8- fraction, which excludes the possible bias in the processes of in vitro cloning. These TCR alpha beta+CD4-8- T cells were found to express other mature T-cell markers such as CD2, CD3, and CD5 antigens, as well as natural killer (NK) cell markers (CD11b, CD16, CD56, and CD57 antigens) for both individuals. Further, although lectin-dependent or redirected antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicities were observed for both freshly sorted lymphocytes of TCR alpha beta+CD4-8- fraction and in vitro established clones, NK-like activity was not detected.

Epimorphin: a mesenchymal protein essential for epithelial morphogenesis

A novel 150 kd protein expressed on the surface of mesenchymal cells of mouse embryonic tissues was identified. A monoclonal antibody to this molecule inhibited various processes of epithelial morphogenesis, such as hair follicle growth and lung epithelial tubular formation, in organ cultures of these tissues. Sequence analysis of cDNA encoding this protein revealed that it had 289 amino acids with a hydrophobic stretch at the C-terminus. NIH 3T3 cells transfected with the cDNA of this protein expressed the exogenous 150 kd protein on their surface. When lung epithelial cells were cocultured with these transfected cells, they showed normal tubular morphogenesis, but not with untransfected NIH 3T3 cells. These results indicate that this protein, termed epimorphin, plays a central role in epithelial-mesenchymal interactions.

Induction of cytokines in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells by mycoplasmas

Various species of mycoplasmas were tested for their ability to induce cytokine production in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Human PBMC were incubated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae, M. hyorhinis, M. arginini, M. salivarium, M. orale, M. gallisepticum or A. laidlawii for 48 hr, and the activities of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interferon (IFN) in the supernatants were determined by ELISA or bioassay. All mycoplasma species induced IL-1 beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha, although IL-2 was induced only by M. pneumoniae. IFN was induced by 5 of the 7 species, and the IFN produced was antigenically confirmed to be mainly IFN-alpha. On the other hand, mycoplasma-stimulated cultures did not contain detectable amounts of IFN-beta and IL-4 activities. Furthermore, the cytokines were induced by mycoplasmal contaminating cells in human PBMC as well as by mycoplasma alone. These results suggest that many kinds of cytokines induced by mycoplasma contamination in cell culture affect immunological experiments in vitro.

Soybean protein isolate and soybean lectin inhibit iron absorption in rats

Inhibitory effects of soybean protein isolate (SPI) and soybean lectin on the intestinal absorption of nonheme iron were investigated by in vivo studies in rats. Rats fed the SPI-based diet absorbed significantly less iron than did control rats fed the casein-based diet. Supplementing the SPI diets with 8% D-galactose significantly increased the incorporation of iron into liver ferritin, although D-galactose did not significantly increase iron absorption. Heat treatment of SPI significantly increased iron absorption. Ascorbate did not enhance iron absorption in rats fed the SPI-based diet. The presence of lectin in an aqueous extract of SPI was suggested by hemagglutination activity as well as by immunoreactivity with soybean lectin antibody. Soybean lectin introduced into ligated segments of the upper small intestine of rats inhibited ferrous iron absorption. This inhibitory effect, especially in the mucosal uptake, was significantly improved by addition of N-acetyl-D-galactosamine to soybean lectin. Soybean lectin had no effect on ferric iron absorption. Our results suggest that a portion of the reduction in iron absorption in rats fed SPI may be due to lectins.

Studies on osmotic stability of liposomes prepared with bacterial membrane lipids by carboxyfluorescein release

The authors measured the osmotic stability of liposomes prepared with membrane lipids of bacteria, using the osmotic-shock release of entrapped carboxyfluorescein as an indicator. The sub-second physical changes of liposomes suspended in a solution of low osmotic pressure were examined by stopped flow spectrophotometry. The entrapped carboxyfluorescein was released when the liposomes burst on inflow of excess water. Liposomes prepared with the lipids of a stable Staphylococcus aureus L-form strain were more resistant to low osmotic pressure than those prepared from the wild strain of S. aureus, and liposomes prepared from Mycoplasma orale were even more resistant. Cardiolipin enhanced the lipid membrane stability in S. aureus and cholesterol in M. orale. The stability of lipid membranes to low osmotic pressure could be precisely determined by the present method.

[Pharmacological effects of Gosha-jinki-gan-ryo extract: effects on experimental diabetes]

Pharmacological effects of Gosha-jinki-gan-ryo extract (KJE) on experimental diabetes induced by cyproheptadine (CPH), aldose reductase activity, and experimental peripheral neuropathy were studied. The effects of KJE were compared with those of Hachimi-jio-gan-ryo extract (HJE). KJE at 417 mg/kg/day (5 times the daily dose in humans) and HJE at 367 mg/kg/day (5 times the daily dose in humans) significantly inhibited the decrease in glucose tolerance by CPH. KJE and HJE inhibited aldose reductase activity, when DL-glyceraldehyde was used as substrate, with IC50 values of 2.68 x 10(-5) g/ml and 4.45 x 10(-5) g/ml, respectively and when D-glucose was used as substrate, with IC50 values of 1.04 x 10(-4) g/ml and 1.55 x 10(-4) g/ml, respectively. KJE at 209 mg/kg/day (2.5 times the daily dose in humans) and HJE at 367 mg/kg/day significantly reduced peripheral neuropathy induced by crushing the sciatic nerve in rats. The potency of these effects of KJE was stronger than that of HJE, when a comparison was made on the basis of the daily dose.

Preliminary experience with gadolinium-enhanced dynamic MR imaging for uterine neoplasms

Usefulness of gadopentetate dimeglumine in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of uterine neoplasms was evaluated in 53 patients with endometrial carcinoma and 15 patients with cervical carcinoma. T1- and T2-weighted MR images were obtained before the contrast material was administered. After a bolus injection of gadopentetate dimeglumine, dynamic MR images were acquired, followed by static T1-weighted images. Gadolinium-enhanced MR images revealed relatively small endometrial carcinomas in the uterine cavity as high signal intensity in four cases and invasion of the myometrium as low signal intensity in 20 cases. In eight cases, endometrial tumors showed irregular, early enhancement compared with that of the myometrium on dynamic images; these cases were associated with poor prognosis. Tumor extension into the lower part of the uterus, parametrium, and paracervical fat was well seen on enhanced images in cases of cervical carcinoma. The authors believe that gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging will prove helpful in the staging of uterine neoplasms.

Cytomorphologic, cytometric and histomorphologic observations after laser therapy for cervical lesions

To analyze the healing process after laser therapy for cervical lesions, the clinical, cytologic, histologic and colposcopic features in 109 cases were studied chronologically. The healing process of the cervical epithelium usually began from both the squamous and columnar epithelial borders, starting around the 10th day after laser therapy; the process covered the whole tissue defect with multilayered epithelium within seven weeks. Inflammatory changes also usually abated within that time. Cytomorphologically, laser therapy resulted in the occurrence of (mostly degenerated) "fiber-type" and orangeophilic cells in smears taken during the first two weeks after treatment. Tissue repair cells were seen in smears collected from the first posttherapy day through the fourth week after laser therapy. Using computer-assisted image cytometry, the reparative cells in samples taken shortly after treatment (roughly, the first to fifth days) exhibited more hyperchromatic (3-4N) nuclei than did those in later samples; however, the mean DNA content of the early reparative cells was generally concentrated around that of the 2N reference cells. These findings suggest that follow-up, including cytologic and colposcopic examination, for the early detection of residual or recurrent lesions should start in the eighth week and continue periodically for at least one year.

Proteolytic digestion of alpha-lactalbumin: physiological implications

The kinetics of the partial digestion of bovine alpha-lactalbumin (alpha-LA) by trypsin, alpha-chymotrypsin, and pepsin was monitored by lactose synthase activity, HPLC, and difference spectrophotometry. The relative stabilities of the various metal-bound states of alpha-LA to trypsin and chymotrypsin at 37 and 5 degrees C decrease in the following order: Ca(II)-alpha-LA greater than Zn(II), Ca(II)-alpha-LA greater than apo-alpha-LA. The HPLC digestion patterns of Ca(II)-alpha-LA and Zn(II), Ca(II)-alpha-LA at 5 and 37 degrees C were similar, while the corresponding digestion patterns for apo-alpha-LA were quite different, reflecting the existence of the thermally induced denaturation states of apo-alpha-LA within this temperature region. Occupation of the first Zn(II)-binding site in Ca(II)-loaded alpha-LA slightly alters the HPLC digestion patterns at both temperatures and accelerates the digestion at 37 degrees C due to Zn(II)-induced shift of the thermal transition of alpha-LA, exposing some portion of thermally denatured protein. The results suggest that the binding of Zn(II) to the first Zn(II)- (or Cu(II)-specific site does not cause any drastic changes in the overall structure of alpha-LA. The acidic form of alpha-LA (at pH 2.2 and 37 degrees C) was digested by pepsin at rates similar to that for the apo- or Cu(II), Ca(II)-loaded forms by trypsin or alpha-chymotrypsin at neutral pH. Complexation of alpha-LA with bis-ANS affords protection against pepsin cleavage. It is suggested that the protective effects of similar small lipophilic compounds to alpha-LA may have physiological significance (e.g., for nutritional transport).

Frequency of mutant T lymphocytes defective in the expression of the T-cell antigen receptor gene among radiation-exposed people

The frequency of mutant T lymphocytes defective in T-cell receptor gene (alpha or beta) expression was measured using the 2-color flow cytometric technique. Results for a total of 203 atomic bomb survivors, 78 of whom were proximally exposed (DS86 doses of greater than or equal to 1.5 Gy) and 125 of whom were distally exposed (DS86 dose of less than 0.005 Gy), showed that the mutant frequency was significantly higher in males than in females. No significant dose effects were observed. In contrast, a significant increase of mutant frequency was observed for 6 patients treated with Thorotrast, a contrast medium containing thorium-232 formerly used for radioligands. In addition, thyroid disease patients treated with 131I showed a dose-related increase of mutant frequency. It was suggested that the present T-cell receptor mutation assay has a unique characteristic as a biological dosimeter for measurement of recent exposures to genotoxic agents.

A latex agglutination test for the detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in respiratory exudates: a comparative study with a commercially available DNA-probe test

We prepared polyclonal antibody specific to Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Using this antibody, we developed a latex agglutination test (LAT) for detecting the organism in respiratory exudates as rapid diagnosis of M. pneumoniae infection. Further, LAT was compared with DNA-probe test (DP) which was the only commercially available test for the rapid detection of the organism. In LAT, both M. pneumoniae and M. genitalium give positive agglutination, but the titer of M. genitalium was significantly lower than that of M. pneumoniae. The detection limit of LAT was 2 x 10(5) CFU/ml and that of DP was 5 x 10(4) CFU/ml in vitro. It was considered that target molecules in LAT were accumulated in the pharyngeal portion of the patients, because of their long half-life at 37 C. However, ribosomal RNA which was target molecule in DP was destroyed at 37 C much sooner, and the accumulation could not be expected. Actually, positive rate in LAT was higher than that in DP among clinical specimens in which M. pneumoniae was detected by culture method. The procedure of LAT is much easier and more rapid than that of DP in which radioactive isotope is required. LAT could be the choice of test for rapid diagnosis of M. pneumoniae infection.

Extended expression of liver functions of hepatocytes in collagen-contained cell aggregates (cell packs)

The functions of hepatocytes under the collagen-contained cell aggregate (cell pack) conditions were studied using liver-specific protein synthesis. Freshly isolated murine hepatocytes were suspended in the medium containing collagen and centrifuged, and the resultant cell masses were cultured on the porous membranes floating on the medium. In these cultures cells were attached to each other three-dimensionally with collagen present in the intercellular spaces. Cultured hepatocytes in the cell pack maintained high and stable activity in the expression of their functions for more than 2 weeks, even when cultured with the medium lacking any hormones and serum, whereas hepatocytes in monolayer cultures lost their functions within a week. Similarly, when the cell packs of rat hepatocytes were transplanted into rat spleens, they could retain viability in the form of cell aggregate with the expression of liver-specific albumin mRNA at a higher level than in the transplanted cell suspensions. The lifespan and the initial expression level of hepatocellular functions in culture were similar to that of the cell pack in cell aggregates without collagen and in cellular monolayers on the collagen gel respectively. It was concluded that the condition where cells are in contact with each other has an important role in the expression of hepatocellular functions and collagen present in the intercellular spaces enhances the functional levels.