[Diagnosis and treatment of iatrogenic ureteral injury]

Diagnosis and treatment of 17 patients who sustained 20 iatrogenic ureteral injuries were analyzed. Primary operations in which ureteral injury occurred are almost gynecologic procedures and general surgery. Injuries were managed by ureteroureterostomy in four, ureteral stent in one, removal suture ligation and ureteral double J-catheter in one, ureteroneocystostomy in ten, psoas-hitch technique and ureteroneocystostomy in one, nephrectomy in two. All patients with appropriate repair were followed-up periods of three to five years. Renal function of these patients had optimal results. When ureteral injury occurs, B-US, IVU, cystoscopy, retrograde ureterography or infusion of dye may be useful. An appropriate repair should be chosen according to length and position of ureteral injuries. Reoperation was optimal in two to three weeks. Immediate recognition of accidental ureteral injury provides optimal results. Patients with unrecognized injuries had suboptimal results.

A JNK signal transduction pathway that mediates morphogenesis and an immune response in Drosophila

The Drosophila MAP kinase DJNK is a homolog of the mammalian c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK). Mutations in the DJNK gene correspond to the complementation group basket. DJNK is phosphorylated and activated by the Drosophila MAP kinase kinase HEP. Substrates of DJNK include the transcription factor DJun. DJNK participates in multiple physiological processes. Exposure to endotoxic lipopolysaccharide initiates an insect immune response and leads to DJNK activation. In addition, embryos lacking DJNK are defective in dorsal closure, a process in which the lateral epithelial cells migrate over the embryo and join at the dorsal midline. These data demonstrate that the DJNK signal transduction pathway mediates an immune response and morphogenesis in vivo.

DNA-dependent protein kinase is a target for a CPP32-like apoptotic protease

We demonstrate that the catalytic subunit of the DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs) is specifically, proteolytically cleaved in HL-60 cells treated with staurosporine (STS), a potent inducer of apoptosis. The proteolysis of DNA-PKcs correlated with or preceded apoptotic chromosomal DNA degradation. Cell-free extracts prepared from STS-treated HL-60 cells recapitulated the proteolysis of DNA-PKcs in an in vitro assay using purified DNA-PK as the substrate. Western blot analyses of the apoptotic cell extract showed that the 32-kDa precursor of CPP32 is expressed in HL-60 cells and processed following STS treatment. In addition, whereas the DNA-PKcs protease activity was not inhibitable by many conventional protease inhibitors, it was inhibitable by a highly selective peptide-derived inhibitor of CPP32. These data strongly suggest that CPP32, or a CPP32-like protease, is responsible for DNA-PKcs proteolysis. Finally, our results demonstrated that the cleavage of DNA-PKcs in vitro proceeded in the presence of Bcl-2, indicating that the function provided by Bcl-2 lies upstream the proteolysis of DNA-PKcs.

[Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of kidney]

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of kidney is one kind of rare tumor. About 20 cases have been reported abroad and 3 in this country. This kind of tumor is characterized by high malignancy and invasive growth. It is difficult to differentiate it from renal cancer by radiology. Fibroblasts stand in line as "storiform pattern" and touton giant cell can be seen under microscopy. The definite diagnosis can be made through immunohistochemistry.

Monocytic differentiation and synthesis of proteins associated with apoptosis in human leukemia U-937 cells acquiring resistance to vincristine

Human leukemia U-937/WT cells were exposed to stepwise increased concentrations of Vincristine so that Vincristine-resistant cell sublines (termed U-937/RV) were developed. Established U-937/RV cell sublines have continuously propagated over a year, both in absence and presence of VCR, and have demonstrated similar features. In contrast to U-937/WT cells, U-937/RV cells have longer doubling time, and are more differentiated as determined by appearance of distinct morphological features and synthesis of mRNA that codes for the monocyte colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor (c-fms). Both apoptosis-suppressing Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL proteins were undectable in U-937/WT cells, whereas Bcl-2 was nearly detectable and Bcl-XL readily detectable in U-937/RV cells. The apoptosis-promoting Bax protein was also absent in U-937/WT cells and readily detected in U-937/RV cells. Vincristine-resistant cells with different levels of resistance synthesize similar levels of c-fms mRNA and Bax protein. Finally, unlike U-937/WT cells, U-937/RV cells have no ability to induce tumors when xenografted in immunodeficient mice. The findings collectively suggest that development of resistance to Vincristine in U-937/WT cells may correlate with cell differentiation and synthesis of proteins that regulate apoptosis.

Characterization of a Ku86 variant protein that results in altered DNA binding and diminished DNA-dependent protein kinase activity

Three proteins known to play a critical role in mammalian DNA double-strand break repair and lymphoid V(D)J recombination are the autoantigens Ku86 and Ku70 and a 465-kDa serine/threonine protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs). These proteins physically associate to form a complex (DNA.PK) with DNA-dependent protein kinase activity. In this study, we demonstrate using electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) that the nuclear DNA end-binding activity of Ku is altered in the human promyelocytic leukemic HL-60 cell line. Western blot and EMSA supershift analyses revealed that HL-60 cells expressed both full-length and variant Ku86 proteins. However, a combined EMSA and immunoanalysis revealed that the Ku heterodimers complexed with DNA in HL-60 cells contained only the variant Ku86 proteins. Finally, UV cross-linking experiments and DNA.PK assays demonstrated that the Ku complexes containing variant Ku86 had a greatly reduced ability to interact with DNA-PKcs and that consequently HL-60 cells had severely diminished DNA.K activity. These data provide important insights into the interaction between Ku and DNA-PKcs and into the role of DNA.PK in DNA double-strand break repair.

[The relationship between human chorionic gonadotrophin and lipoprotein metabolism]

We compared human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG-beta) with lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins in serum between pre- and postmenopausal women, and observed the changes of levels of hCG-beta in animals suffering from hypertriglyceridemia. The results have shown that the concentration of hCG-beta in postmenopausal women is much higher than that in premenopausal women (P < 0.001). Correspondingly, triglyceride (TG) is elevated (P < 0.05). High density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and HDL-C/LDL-C ratio are decreased (P < 0.001, P < 0.01). On the other hand, the tendency of highing hCG-beta level has been found in animal study. The concentration of hCG-beta in male rats suffering form hypertriglyceridemia is higher than that in normal animals (P < 0.05).

[Clinical significance of determinations of blood catecholamine, glucose and isulin in burn patients]

Blood catecholamine (CA), glucose and insulin were determined in 30 severe burn patients, of whom 22 were males, and 8 females. Mean burn area was 58.6 percent TBSA. These patients were in hypovolemic shock.

RESULTS

CA release was persistent in severe burn patients showing two peaks in shock period and infection period (P < 0.01). The quantity of epinephrine (E) was normal, while norepinephrine (NE) was presistently high (P < 0.01), and it was over two fold of the normal value. The value seemed to reflect the severity of the injury. When CA did not show a rise in the shock period, or lowered abruptly in the sepsis period, the patients were in high risk. Increasing CA produced increase in gluconeogenesis with insufficiency in SI secretion.

Isolation and characterization of an apoptosis-resistant variant of human leukemia HL-60 cells that has switched expression from Bcl-2 to Bcl-xL

Human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells treated with 8-chloroadenosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-Cl-cAMP) undergo growth arrest and subsequently die by apoptosis. We describe here the isolation of a variant of HL-60 cells, HCW-2, which was resistant to the cytotoxic effects of 8-Cl-cAMP, but still underwent growth arrest. Thus, HCW-2 cells appeared to be altered in their ability to undergo apoptosis. HCW-2 cells were also completely refractory to the apoptotic action of cycloheximide and staurosporine, two compounds which were very potent inducers of apoptosis in the parental HL-60 cells, suggesting that the resistance to apoptosis was not unique to 8-Cl-cAMP. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the parental HL-60 cells expressed both Bcl-2 and Bax, two factors known to be intimately involved in the control of apoptosis. Surprisingly, HCW-2 cells no longer expressed Bcl-2 protein and paradoxically contained Bax protein at a level that was approximately 50-fold higher than in HL-60 cells. However, Northern and Western analyses indicated that the apoptotic suppressor gene, bcl-xL, which is not expressed in the parental HL-60 cells, was expressed in HCW-2 cells. Thus, the Bcl-2-independent resistance of HCW-2 cells to apoptotic induction is discussed in terms of the expression of bcl-xL.

Lovastatin induces apoptosis in a metastatic ovarian tumour cell line

Lovastatin is a very specific and potent inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, which regulates a rate-limiting step in the cellular synthesis of isoprenoid and cholesterol. In this study, we demonstrate that treatment of rat ovarian metastatic OV1N cells with lovastatin induces apoptosis. Furthermore, apoptotic death of lovastatin-treated OV1N cells can be prevented by the addition of either mevalonic acid (an immediate metabolite of HMG-CoA) or farnesyl pyrophosphate (one of the downstream products of mevalonic acid metabolism). However, metabolic derivatives of farnesyl pyrophosphate failed to prevent the apoptotic effect of lovastatin on cells. Therefore farnesyl pyrophosphate appears to be important for cell survival and the relationship of this compound to protein farnesylation and apoptosis induction is discussed.

[Monoclonal antibodies to human progesterone receptors: production, indentification and clinical application]

A peptide with 15 amino acid of human progesterone receptor (PR) was synthesized and used as antigen. Five hybridoma cells were obtained by cloning technique. In tests to hybridoma cell H4, the site specificity of the antibody to PR was found. The antibody reacted specifically with PR, but did not cross-react with ER, AR, or GR. Five women who used clomiphene citrate (CC) 100mg/d x 5 days were involved in a study of serum pregesterone (P) and endometrial histology in early luteal phase. There was no difference in serum P level in two groups. Three cases in CC group showed abnormal secretory endometrium. PR concentration in the nuclei of glandular cells of endometrium in CC group was significantly lower than that in the control group. In women with abnormal secretory endometrium, PR concentration in the nuclei of glandular cells was lower than that in women with normal endometrial histology. CC can influence endometrial histology by changing-PR concentration in the nuclei of glandular cells. The endometrium can not respond to the stimulus of P at normal levels and thus results in luteal phase defect.

A simple model for predicting the response of chicks to dietary enzyme supplementation

Two experiments with Leghorn chicks and data from five publications were analyzed to determine whether a simple general equation could be used to predict the relationship between the amount of a crude enzyme added to a diet and chick performance. The maximum improvements in weight gain and feed: gain ratio in Leghorn chicks fed rye diets containing different concentrations of enzymes were as high as 61 and 42%, respectively. Regression analyses demonstrated that there was usually a high linear correlation (r2 > 0.9, P < 0.05) between the concentration of the enzyme when transformed into its logarithmic value and weight gain or the feed:gain ratio. The general prediction equation was Y = A + B(logX), where Y is the performance value (i.e., weight gain, grams), A is the intercept (y-axis), B is the slope of the line (change in performance per units of enzyme in the diet), and X is the amount of enzyme in the diet. The slope of the line provides an index of the overall efficacy of the enzyme treatment. The log-linear model shows that for every ninefold increase in amount of enzyme in the diet (i.e., when the amount was increased to 10 times the starting amount), there was only a doubling of improvement in chick performance. High correlations (r2 values) were also obtained when data from the literature were analyzed. The equation was applicable to different classes and ages of poultry fed diets containing rye, wheat, barley, and lupins. These studies demonstrate that there is a linear relationship between the amount of enzyme added to the diet, when expressed as a logarithmic value, and the corresponding performance of chickens.

A study on oliguric standard in the elderly

Water deprivation test was done in 44 healthy elderly persons, 26 were male, and 18 were female. They were deprived of the intake of water for 25 hours. The results showed that the maximal renal concentration function both in the elderly males and females was 887 +/- 91 mmol/L and 888 +/- 127 mmol/L respectively. The renal excretion of waste products in 24 hours both in the elderly males and females was 815 + 170 mmol/d and 620 + 132 mmol/d respectively. On the basis of point estimation, the minimal essential urine volume per day in the elderly males and females was 926 ml/d and 708 ml/d respectively, if the daily urine volume of the elderly is less than this level, then, the metabolic products generated per day can not be excreted by the kidney, and it would result in disorders of internal environment. Therefore, the oliguric standard in elderly males and females must be less than 926 ml/d and 708 ml per day respectively.

Evidence for a G2 checkpoint in p53-independent apoptosis induction by X-irradiation

The p53 tumor suppressor gene is thought to be required for the induction of programmed cell death (apoptosis) initiated by DNA damage. We show here, however, that the human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60, which is known to be deficient in p53 because of large deletions in the p53 gene, can be induced to undergo apoptosis following X-irradiation. We demonstrate that the decision to undergo apoptosis in this cell line appears to be made at a G2 checkpoint. In addition, we characterize an HL-60 variant, HCW-2, which is radioresistant. HCW-2 cells display DNA damage induction and repair capabilities identical to those of the parental HL-60 cell line. Thus, the difference between the two cell lines appears to be that X-irradiation induces apoptosis in HL-60, but not in HCW-2, cells. Paradoxically, HCW-2 cells display high levels of expression of bax, which enhances apoptosis, and no longer express bcl-2, which blocks apoptosis. HCW-2 cells' resistance to apoptosis may be due to the acquisition of expression of bcl-XL, a bcl-2-related inhibitor of apoptosis. In summary, apoptosis can be induced in X-irradiated HL-60 cells by a p53-independent mechanism at a G2 checkpoint, despite the presence of endogenous bcl-2. The resistance shown by HCW-2 cells suggests that bcl-XL can block this process.

Development of human leukemia U-937 cell sublines resistant to doxorubicin: induction of differentiation and altered sensitivities to topoisomerase-directed drugs

Cell sublines resistant to doxorubicin (DOX) were developed from the human leukemia cell line, U-937/WT, exposed to stepwise DOX increases. In contrast to U-937/WT cells, the DOX-resistant U-937/RD cells have longer doubling time; are more differentiated along the monocytic lineage as determined by the presence of morphological features and mRNA coding for the monocyte colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor; synthesize the apoptosis-associated Bax protein; are less sensitive to apoptosis-inducing topoisomerase II-directed drugs, apparently because of increased synthesis of P-glycoprotein; and are practically non-tumorigenic when xenografted in nude mice. However, U-937/WT and U-937/RD cells exhibit similar sensitivity to the apoptosis-inducing drug 9-nitrocamptothecin. These findings suggest that several mechanisms are involved in the development of DOX-resistance in U-937 cells, and further, 9-nitrocamptothecin can overcome resistance to DOX. These findings may have clinical implications.

[The pathogenetic factors for neurogenic intermittent claudication caused by degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis]

The pathogenetic factors in 89 patients with typical neurogenic intermittent claudication caused by lumbar spinal stenosis were studied retrospectively. 75 patients had degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis, and 67 had unilateral nerve root canal stenosis. In most patients, the stenotic location was found at the entrance zone of nerve root canal (75/89), involving only a single level (60/89) mostly at L4.5. The pathogenetic factors for degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis were degenerative changes of lumbar disc only (55/89), and those for hypertrophy of facet joints (22/89), thickened ligamentum flavum (11/89), and spondylolis thesis (10/89). All patients were operated on: 57 of them had less invasive procedures. The excellent and good early follow-up results were noted in 73% of the patients (65/89). The authors emphasized that the surgical treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis should be as less invasive as possible rather than a tranditional extensive lumbar laminectomy.

Proliferative response of mammary glandular tissue to formononetin

Dietary phytoestrogens have been implicated in infertility among ruminants and may relate to human breast cancer risk. Formononetin is an isoflavonoid phytoestrogen found in animal fodder and in certain human foodstuffs. To investigate a possible mechanism by which phytoestrogens might influence mammary carcinogenesis, this study examined the capacity of formononetin to stimulate mammary gland proliferation. Formononetin was administered to castrated female BALB/c mice by daily subcutaneous injection; then mammary gland proliferation and estrogen receptor expression were quantified, and plasma prolactin levels were measured. A preliminary dose-finding study demonstrated an estrogenic effect on vaginal cytology when formononetin was injected at 40 mg/kg sc. Peak plasma concentrations of 2.5 +/- 0.8 (SD) micrograms/ml at two hours and peak mammary tissue concentrations of 2.0 +/- 0.2 ng/mg tissue at four hours were noted after a single injection at this minimally bioactive dose. Among animals treated with formononetin at 40 mg/kg/day for five days, mammary gland proliferation was enhanced 3.3-fold over saline-treated controls and was comparable to that of animals treated with estradiol-17 beta at 1 microgram/kg/day for five days. Mammary tissue estrogen receptor expression was 2-fold higher among the formononetin-treated animals (P < 0.01 vs. saline-treated controls), and plasma prolactin concentrations were increased 1.7-fold (P < 0.001 vs. saline-treated controls). In subsequent in vitro binding studies, formononetin competitively bound murine mammary estrogen receptors, but with a relative binding affinity 15,000 times less potent than that of estradiol-17 beta. The results demonstrate an ability of formononetin to support mammary gland proliferation. However, the estrogenic potency of formononetin appears extremely weak compared with that of estradiol-17 beta and is roughly proportional to estrogen receptor-binding capacity.

Three chemically distinct types of oxidants formed by iron-mediated Fenton reactions in the presence of DNA

Exposure of Escherichia coli to H2O2 leads to two kinetically distinguishable modes of killing: mode I killing occurs maximally near 2 mM H2O2, whereas mode II killing is essentially independent of H2O2 concentrations up to 20 mM. A major portion of H2O2 toxicity is attributed to DNA damage caused by the iron-mediated Fenton reaction. By studying DNA damage during Fenton reactions in vitro, the same complex kinetics were observed and three types of oxidants were distinguished based upon their reactivities toward H2O2 and alcohols and upon iron-chelator effects. Type I oxidants are sensitive to H2O2 but moderately resistant to ethanol; type II oxidants are resistant to both H2O2 and ethanol; type III oxidants are sensitive to H2O2, ethanol, and t-butanol. To explain these results, we hypothesize that type I oxidants are generated upon Fe2+ associated with DNA only through electrostatic interactions and cause mode I killing of E. coli; type II oxidants arise upon Fe2+, which is at least partially base-associated, and cause mode II killing; type III oxidants arise on Fe2+ free in solution and probably do not cause killing. Therefore, particular interactions of DNA with transition metals should be considered to be an integral part of the chemistry and toxicity of H2O2.

Guanosine induces necrosis of cultured aortic endothelial cells

We have observed that treatment of cultured bovine aortic endothelial (BAE) cells with guanosine can inhibit the proliferation and viability of the cells. The addition of 500 mumol/L guanosine to the medium resulted in approximately 90% inhibition of cell proliferation. It also changed the morphology of BAE cells from having a small cobblestone-like appearance to a giant pancake-like morphology. At a concentration range of 1 to 2.5 mmol/L, guanosine inhibited the viability of quiescent BAE cells. Incubation of the cells with 2 mmol/L guanosine for 24 hours maximally induced the loss of cell viability by approximately 80%. We also compared the effects of different nucleosides on the proliferation and viability of BAE cells and found that at appropriate concentration ranges, only guanosine was able to inhibit the proliferation and viability of the cells. To assess the mechanism that mediates the cytotoxicity of guanosine, we analyzed the degradation pattern of DNA in guanosine-treated cells and found that random DNA degradation occurred in the cells. Thus, we suggest that treatment of BAE cells with guanosine induced cell necrosis.

Analysis of Schizosaccharomyces pombe mitochondrial DNA replication by two dimensional gel electrophoresis

The entire mitochondrial genome of Schizosaccharomyces pombe ura4-294h- was analyzed by the 2D pulsed field gel electrophoresis technique developed by Brewer and Fangman. The genome consists of multimers with an average size of 100 kb and analysis of the overlapping restriction fragments of the complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genome resulted in simple Y 2D gel patterns. Large single-stranded DNA molecules or double-stranded DNA molecules containing large or numerous single-stranded regions were found in the S. pombe mtDNA preparation. The replication of mtDNA monomers was found to occur in either direction. On the basis of these results, a replication mechanism for S. pombe mtDNA that is most consistent with a rolling circle model is suggested.

Negative and positive regulation of IGF-II mRNA expression in cultured rat cells by chicken serum

We have investigated the possibility that some serum factors might negatively regulate the expression of the insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) gene in 18-54, SF cells. Northern blot analyses indicated that there were three major transcripts (3.8 kb, 1.8 kb, and 1.2 kb) of the IGF-II gene in these cells. We found that incubation of 18-54, SF cells in medium containing very high concentrations (50-100%) of chicken serum greatly inhibited the steady-state level of all three IGF-II mRNA species. In addition, we also found that incubation of 18-54, SF cells in medium containing lower concentrations (10-50%) of chicken serum induced a 3.5 kb IGF-II mRNA. The inhibitory effect of high concentrations of chicken serum on IGF-II mRNA expression was not due to a cytotoxic effect of the serum, because these cells were maintained in 100% chicken serum for up to two weeks without loss of cell viability. The inhibitory effect of chicken serum on IGF-II mRNA was reversible after withdrawal of the serum. Nuclear run-on assays suggested that this negative regulation of IGF-II mRNA in 18-54, SF cells by chicken serum was not the result of transcriptional inhibition. Treatment of 18-54, SF cells that had been previously incubated in 100% chicken serum for 24 h with actinomycin D resulted in a partial restoration of the expression of the 3.8 kb and 1.2 kb IGF-II mRNA in these cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Anti-implantation action of nylestriol and its effect on endometrium in rabbits]

The anti-implantation action of nylestriol in rabbits was studied. Using the method of arresting mitosis by injection of colchicine, we detected the mitosis frequency of endometrial cells. The activities of carbonic anhydrase (CAH), A1P and PAS reaction were observed under light microscope combined with the histochemical method and microscopic autoexposure control device. The results were as follows: 1. Giving nylestriol orally to rabbits on day 1 of pregnancy produced an obvious anti-implantation effect; 2. The number of mitosis cells in glandular epithelium and stroma of the endometrium in the treatment group was less than that in the control group (P < 0.05); and 3. Compared with the control group, the activities of CAH and A1P, and glycogen content in the endometrium decreased significantly in the treatment group (P < 0.05). The result suggests that nylestriol may prevent the implantation of blastocyst by disturbing decidulization of the endometrium.