A case of intractable diarrhea firmly suspected to have autoimmune enteropathy

Protracted diarrhea with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypothyroidism in a 9 month old Japanese girl who was firmly suspected to have autoimmune enteropathy (AIE) is reported. Her severe secretory diarrhea failed to respond to intensive antidiarrheic treatment and was gradually improved with steroid therapy. The circulating autoantibodies to enterocytes in her serum were detected by indirect immunofluorescence technique and the impaired suppressor T (Ts) cell function was proved by plaque forming assay using bead-separated CD4 or CD8 T cells together with CD19 B cells. The anti-enterocyte antibodies were exclusively of immunoglobulin M (IgM) class and were detected with the progress of the protracted diarrhea. Maximum antibody titer was obtained at the onset of DM and the disappearance of autoantibodies was associated with the resolution of the clinical symptoms and signs. The helper functions of adult CD4 T cells to induce Ig-secreting cells from adult and the patient were strikingly suppressed by adult CD8 T cells. However, the CD8 T cells from the patient lost the ability to inhibit the induction of these Ig-secreting cells when stimulated with adult CD4 T cells. Moreover, the patient's CD8 T cells stimulated rather than suppressed the induction of Ig-secreting cells from the patient when stimulated with the patient's CD4 T cells. These results suggest that the impaired Ts cell function in this patient might play some immunological role in the pathogenesis of AIE.

Molecular cloning and characterization of the rat cytochrome c oxidase subunit Vb gene

We have isolated two non-overlapping clones containing the genes for subunit Vb of cytochrome c oxidase (COXVb) from a rat genomic library in Charon 4A using a newly isolated full-length cDNA as a probe. One of the two genomic clones, designated as lambda COXVb741, contained a functional gene (COXVb-1), while the other one, designated as lambda COXVb211, contained an intronless processed pseudogene (COXVb-2). The COXVb-1 gene spans approximately 1.8 kb and consists of four exons interrupted by three introns. The nucleotide sequences of all exons are completely identical to the corresponding sequences of the rat liver and brain COXVb cDNAs, indicating that this gene is actually expressed. The 5'-flanking region of the gene lacks conventional TATA and CAAT boxes, but exhibits strong promoter activity in the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) assay. Deletional analysis and gel shift assay of the 5'-flanking region suggested that the binding of nuclear factor Sp-1 could be essential for transcription of the gene. Southern blotting analysis implied the occurrence of multiple COXVb genes in the rat genome. However, the results of the present experiments suggest that only the COXVb-1 gene is expressed in rat tissues.

High level expression of rat gamma-D-crystallin in Escherichia coli

Gamma-crystallins have been implicated in various kinds of cataracts. In order to facilitate studies elucidating the molecular mechanism of cataractogenesis, large quantities of rat recombinant gamma-D-crystallin were produced in E coli. A full length cDNA clone coding for gamma-D-crystallin was isolated from a rat lens lambda gt11 cDNA library using a synthetic oligonucleotide as a probe. The coding region of this cDNA was inserted into a cloning vector pKK233-2 under the control of the trc promoter. The resulting construct, pKKCR91, was transfected into E coli to produce rat gamma-D-crystallin in an amount of 10-15% of the total bacterial proteins. The crystallin produced was purified to an apparent homogeneity as judged by SDS gel electrophoresis. The sequence of the N-terminal 11 amino acids of the purified crystallin was determined, showing that it is completely identical to that predicted from the cDNA sequence. Measurements of the far-UV CD spectra also revealed that recombinant rat gamma-D-crystallin thus produced retains a native conformational structure.

Induction of stathmin mRNA during liver regeneration

Stathmin is a 19 kDa phosphoprotein, and is proposed to play a role in signal transduction in response to various extracellular stimuli that promote cellular growth and/or differentiation. We examined stathmin mRNA expression during development and liver regeneration in mice. Stathmin mRNA expression declined during the post-natal period and was undetected in adult liver. 36 h after partial hepatectomy, stathmin mRNA was rapidly induced and remained at elevated levels for at least 10 days. In situ hybridization experiments confirmed that stathmin mRNA expression occurred in hepatocytes. These results indicate that the stathmin gene expression appears to be repressed during the post-natal liver development, and is de-repressed by liver regeneration, which suggests that stathmin may be a good molecular marker of liver plasticity.

Autonomous replication of human chromosomal DNA fragments in human cells

We have examined whether a human chromosome has distinct segments that can replicate autonomously as extrachromosomal elements. Human 293S cells were transfected with a set of human chromosomal DNA fragments of 8-15 kilobase pairs that were cloned on an Escherichia coli plasmid vector. The transfected cells were subsequently cultured in the presence of 5-bromodeoxyuridine during two cell generations, and several plasmid clones labeled in both of the daughter DNA strands were isolated. Efficiency of replication of these clones, as determined from the ratios of heavy-heavy and one-half of heavy-light molecules to total molecules recovered from density-labeled cells, was 9.4% per cell generation on the average. Replication efficiency of control clones excluded during the selection was about 2.2% and that of the vector plasmid alone was 0.3%. A representative clone p1W1 replicated in a semiconservative manner only one round during the S phase of the cell cycle. It replicated extrachromosomally without integration into chromosome. The human segment of the clone was composed of several subsegments that promoted autonomous replication at different efficiencies. Our results suggest that certain specific nucleotide sequences are involved in autonomous replication of human segments.

Molecular diversity of the SCG10/stathmin gene family in the mouse

SCG10 is a neuronal growth-associated protein that shares an amino acid sequence similarity with an 18- to 19-kDa phosphoprotein named stathmin (also called p19, p18, Op18, pp17, prosolin, pp20, 19K, and leukemia-associated phosphoprotein, Lap18), which is more broadly expressed in a variety of cell types of the neural, immune, and reproductive systems. The sequence similarity has suggested that SCG10 and stathmin have been derived from structurally and evolutionarily related genes. To explore the structural and evolutionary relationships between these genes, we have isolated a series of cosmid and phage clones that covers the entire region of the mouse stathmin gene and most of the mouse SCG10 gene. The SCG10 transcription unit spans at least 30 kb, while the stathmin gene is 6 kb in length. Both genes consist of five exons, and many of the intron/exon boundaries fall into the homologous regions of conserved domains of these two proteins. However, the promoter-proximal regions are distinct in the two genes, suggesting that they have evolved by fusion of the duplicated coding exons to unique promoters. Southern blot analysis indicates that SCG10 mRNA is encoded by a single gene in the mouse genome, while stathmin cDNA probes detect multiple genes. Chromosome mapping experiments reveal that the SCG10 gene is localized at the proximal region of mouse chromosome 3 and is linked to Il-7, while the stathmin gene loci are distributed to three chromosomes; the authentic stathmin gene lies on chromosome 4, whereas the loci on chromosomes 9 and 17 are likely to be pseudogenes. These data are consistent with the idea that the neuron-specific SCG10 gene evolved by duplication and modification of the more broadly expressed stathmin/Lap18 gene.

Novel microbial metabolites of the phoslactomycins family induce production of colony-stimulating factors by bone marrow stromal cells. I. Taxonomy, fermentation and biological properties

Three metabolites were isolated from the culture broth of an actinomycete strain identified as Streptomyces platensis SANK 60191, that induce the production of colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) by stromal cell line KM-102 at ED50 concentrations from 40 to 200 ng/ml. The compounds induced quantities of granulocyte CSF (G-CSF) and granulocyte-macrophage CSF (GM-CSF) comparable to those induced by interleukin-1, a strong CSF inducer. These metabolites were called leustroducsins (A, B and C) and were later found to be structurally related to phoslactomycins. This is the first report of CSF inducing activity by members of the phoslactomycin class.

Milbemycins alpha 11, alpha 12, alpha 13, alpha 14 and alpha 15: a new family of milbemycins from Streptomyces hygroscopicus subsp. aureolacrimosus. Taxonomy, fermentation, isolation, structure elucidation and biological properties

Streptomyces hygroscopicus subsp. aureolacrimosus SANK 60286 produces a new family of milbemycins, named milbemycins alpha 11, alpha 12 [corrected], alpha 13, alpha 14 and alpha 15, together with other milbemycins. Their structures are 3-methyl-2-butenoyloxy and 3-methylbutyroyloxy derivatives at C-4a of milbemycins A3 and A4, or 3-methyl-2-pentenoyloxy derivative at C-4a of milbemycin A3, respectively. Milbemycin alpha 14, 3-methyl-2-butenoyloxy derivative, especially possesses a potent acaricidal activity.

[A case of intralobar pulmonary sequestration associated with an accessory diaphragm]

We report one operated case (a 71-year-old female) of intralobar pulmonary sequestration (Pryce's type 1) associated with an accessory diaphragm. The patient had hemoptysis for 5 years. Lateral chest X-ray showed an oblique line attaching to the central portion of the right diaphragm. Selective angiography and ultrasonography showed an aberrant vessel originating from the abdominal aorta. At the time of operation, the pleural cavity was divided into two compartments by a fibrous membrane. The bronchus of the lower compartment and the pulmonary veins ran through a hole in the accessory diaphragm. The aberrant artery flowed into the parts of lung in the upper and lower compartments.

Small airway involvement in mixed connective tissue disease

We studied pulmonary functions in 17 female patients with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) to detect early pulmonary involvement in this disease; in 8 of the 17 patients follow-up studies were also performed at 1.2- to 5.9-year intervals. In the first pulmonary function tests, decreases in vital capacity (VC) and diffusing capacity (DLCO) were observed in 6 (35%) and 8 (47%) patients, respectively. The ratio of forced expiratory volume in one second to VC was normal in all the patients, but pulmonary resistance and static compliance were abnormal in 6 (35%) and 10 (59%) patients, respectively. However, frequency dependence of dynamic compliance was found in all 16 patients tested. Moreover, 4 (24%) of the 17 patients had normal DLCO and DLCO-to-alveolar volume ratio (DLCO/VA). Reductions in DLCO and DLCO/VA were significantly correlated with the disease duration. These results suggest that small airway obstruction is an early and frequent indication of functional pulmonary impairment, and that impairment of alveolar gas exchange is progressive in patients with MCTD.

Isolation of trehalamine, the aglycon of trehazolin, from microbial broths and characterization of trehazolin related compounds

Trehalamine, (3aR,4R,5S,6S,6aS)-2-amino-4-(hydroxymethyl)-3a,5,6,6a- tetrahydro-4H-cyclo-pent[d]oxazole-4,5,6-triol (1) and D-glucose were obtained by acid hydrolysis of trehazolin (3), a trehalase inhibitor produced by actinomycetes. More vigorous hydrolytic treatment of trehazolin afforded an aminocyclitol, (1R,2S,3R,4S,5R)-5-amino-1- (hydroxymethyl)cyclopentane-1,2,3,4-tetraol (2). Trehalamine, the aglycon of trehazolin, was also found in the culture broths of two trehazolin producing strains, Micromonospora sp. SANK 62390 and Amycolatopsis sp. SANK 60791. These trehazolin related compounds trehalamine (1) and 2 were poor inhibitors of trehalase (1; IC50 1.8 x 10(-4) M, 2; > 5.0 x 10(-4) M). On the other hand they inhibited more potently rat intestinal sucrase (1; IC50 6.8 x 10(-5) M) and sweet almond beta-glucosidase (2; IC50 5.6 x 10(-6) M) than trehazolin.

[Causes of anomalous patterns of haptoglobin using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis]

We could observe several anomalous electrophoretic patterns of haptoglobin during serotype analysis. We classified these anomalous patterns of haptoglobin into two major classes. The first is the change of number of haptoglobin bands, and the second is the shift from the normal serotype patterns. The change of number of haptoglobin bands was caused by unsaturation of haptoglobin in binding with hemoglobin, mixing of different serotypes by blood transfusion or injection of haptoglobin and serotype variants of haptoglobin. The shift of haptoglobin PAGE pattern was occurred from a large amount of M-protein or lipoproteins in serum.

Distribution of neuromuscular junctions in the bowel affected by hypoganglionosis

Using monoclonal antibody 171B5 against synaptic vesicle proteins, neuromuscular junctions and synapses in the muscle layers of the bowel affected by hypoganglionosis were labeled and their distribution analysed. In the hypoganglionic bowel, there were less synapses in the myenteric plexus and few neuromuscular junctions compared to normal bowels. The bowel dysmotility of the patient with hypoganglionosis appears to be due to inadequate innervation between ganglion cells and smooth muscle cells.

[Infection rate of Chlamydia trachomatis in sexual partners from pregnant women with Chlamydia trachomatis infection]

We investigated the infection rate of Chlamydia trachomatis in sexual partners who had pregnant wives with C. trachomatis diagnosed by means of serum-antibody test (Ipazyme) or antigen test (Chlamydiazyme, IDEIA-chlamydia). Antibody-positive rate was 60.4% (90/149 cases), and antigen-positive rate was 7.4% 11/149 cases). All cases with Chlamydial antigen had anti-Chlamydial antibody. Eleven cases with Chlamydial antigen had no symptom of urethritis. Among these cases, eight cases had abnormal laboratory findings. However, the other three cases who had no abnormal finding were careers of C. trachomatis. In this study, sexual partners who had Chlamydial antigen were few, however, those who had anti-chlamydial antibody were many. Therefore, C. trachomatis will disseminate among many families as a latent infection.

Recognition of the Qa-2k tumor antigen by T cell receptor gamma/delta of an immunopotentiator-induced tumoricidal T cell of mice

Tumor-specific expression of Qa-2k antigen coded by the Q5k gene on various mouse tumor cells and immunological response of the host mice to the antigen have been demonstrated [Seo et al. (1992) J Exp Med 175: 547; Tanino et al. (1992) Cancer Immunol Immunother 35: 230]. The possibility was examined that Qa-2 antigen is one of the recognition target molecules of immunopotentiator-induced, H-2-nonrestricted tumoricidal lymphocytes of Qa-2-mice. Lymphocytes stimulated in vivo with P. acnes or culture-induced anomalous killers of B6.K1 mice did not exhibit significant in vitro cytotoxicity against B6.K1 lymphoblasts but lysed their Qa-2,3-congenic counterpart B6 lymphoblasts. To demonstrate the Qa-2 specificity of such cytotoxic cells more precisely, an L cell transformant clone (LQ7b/Kb), which expressed the alpha 1 and alpha 2 domains of the Qa-2 antigen (Q7b gene product), was generated by transfecting a cloned plasmid DNA containing a hybrid gene constructed from the 5' half of the Q7b gene and the 3' half of the H-2Kb gene (pQ7b/Kb). Using LQ7b/Kb cells as the target cells and the nylon-wool-nonadherent fraction of lymphocytes from P. acnes-stimulated (C3H/He x B6.K1)F1 mice (H-2k, Qa-2-) as the effector cells of the in vitro cytotoxicity reaction, the presence of cytotoxic cells that recognize the alpha 1/alpha 2 region of the Q7b gene product was demonstrated. The cytotoxic activity was dependent on T cells bearing T cell receptors of the gamma/delta type (TCR gamma/delta). The (C3H/He x B6.K1)F1 effector cells, as well as the B6.K1 effector cells also lysed BW5147 lymphoma cells (Qa-2k+) derived from AKR mice (Qa-2-, H-2k). By target-competition experiments it was shown that some of the effector cells lytic to BW5147 were identical to those that lysed LQ7b/Kb. Therefore some of the tumoricidal cells induced by the immunopotentiator interact with the target tumor cells through recognition of the alpha 1/alpha 2 region of the Qa-2k tumor antigen by TCR gamma/delta.

A human centromere protein, CENP-B, has a DNA binding domain containing four potential alpha helices at the NH2 terminus, which is separable from dimerizing activity

The alphoid DNA-CENP-B (centromere protein B) complex is the first sequence-specific DNA/protein complex detected in the centromeric region of human chromosomes. In the reaction, CENP-B recognizes a 17-bp sequence (CENP-B box) and assembles two alphoid DNA molecules into a complex, which is designated complex A (Muro, Y., H. Masumoto, K. Yoda, N. Nozaki, M. Ohashi, and T. Okazaki. 1992. J. Cell Biol. 116:585-596). Since CENP-B gene is conserved in mammalian species and CENP-B boxes are found also in mouse centromere satellite DNA (minor satellite), this sequence-specific DNA-protein interaction may be important for some kind of common centromere function. In this study we have characterized the structure of CENP-B and CENP-B-alphoid DNA complex. We have shown by chemical cross-linking that CENP-B formed a dimer, and have estimated by molecular weight determination the composition of complex A to be a CENP-B dimer and two molecules of alphoid DNA. The DNA binding domain has been delimited within the NH2-terminal 125-amino acid region containing four potential alpha-helices using truncated CENP-B made in Escherichia coli cells. We have shown that CENP-B had sites highly sensitive to proteases and that the DNA binding domain was separable from the dimerizing activity by the proteolytic cleavage at 20 kD from the COOH terminus of the molecule. Thus, CENP-B may organize a higher order structure in the centromere by juxtaposing two CENP-B boxes in the alphoid DNA repeat through both the DNA-protein and protein-protein interactions.

Transcriptional activity of a mutant thyroid hormone receptor beta in a family with generalized resistance to thyroid hormone

We previously reported a family with generalized resistance to thyroid hormone (GRTH) which had a point mutation with codon 448 CCT (proline) being converted to ACT (threonine) in the thyroid hormone receptor (TR) beta. To characterize functional properties of the mutant TR beta, transient expression studies were performed in COS cells. A double stranded oligonucleotide encompassing thyroid hormone response element (TRE) derived from the rat GH gene was synthesized. We constructed chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) plasmid containing the thymidine kinase promoter under the control of the rat GH TRE. T3 induction of CAT activity by the mutant TR beta was significantly reduced as compared with that of the normal TR beta. This was observed in the presence of 0.5-50 nM T3, but not at 500 nM T3. When the normal and mutant TR beta were cotransfected, the mutant TR beta inhibited gene activation regulated by the normal TR beta. However, a high molar excess was necessary to significantly inhibit the function of the normal receptor. Additionally, the binding of in vitro synthesized mutant TR beta to TRE was preserved.

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of 14 leukemia and lymphoma cell lines with 11q23 translocations

11q23 translocation is the most popular chromosomal abnormality in infant leukemia. In adults, it is often encountered in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). In this study, we analyzed the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of 9 acute leukemic cell lines with 11q23 translocations and one with deletion of the 11q23 locus, nine of which were established by researchers in this group, together with 4 NHL cell lines with 11q23 translocations. All lines were considered to belong to the B-cell lineage at different stages. All 10 leukemic lines showed clonal rearrangement of the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) gene: two corresponded to the B-precursor stage (CD19+, cytoplasmic mu-), while the other 8 corresponded to the pre-B stage (cytoplasmic mu+). All 4 NHL lines showed rearrangements of both the IgH and Ig kappa genes with three expressing surface Ig; specifically, mature B-cell phenotype. As for myelocytic-monocytic markers, at least one out of 4 antigens examined were positive in 8 of the 10 leukemic cell lines, while only one of the 4 NHL lines was reactive. There were essentially no clear phenotypic or genotypic differences between t(4;11) and t(11;19) cell lines, supporting the view that both diseases have similar clinicopathological characteristics. These cell lines are also valuable for cloning genes at the chromosomal breakpoints.

Matlystatins, new inhibitors of typeIV collagenases from Actinomadura atramentaria. I. Taxonomy, fermentation, isolation, and physico-chemical properties of matlystatin-group compounds

During the course of a screening for inhibitors of typeIV collagenases, new metabolites, designated matlystatins, have been isolated from an actinomycete strain, which was identified as a strain of Actinomadura atramentaria. Matlystatins were composed of five congeners, which were separated and purified by n-butanol extraction and chromatography.

Cloning and nucleotide sequence of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa nfxB gene, conferring resistance to new quinolones

The gene nfxB is one of the genes which affect the cell membrane permeability of quinolones in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO. Both wild-type nfxB and a mutant nfxB (nfx13E) were cloned and the DNA sequences were determined. The wild-type gene was dominant in PAO strains. The nfxB mutation was a point mutation (cytosine----guanine) which generates an amino acid exchange (arginine----glycine) in the putative nfxB product. The amino acid sequence of the wild-type NfxB protein revealed that it has a helix-turn-helix motif which may be responsible for the ability to bind in a sequence-specific manner to DNA. This finding indicated that the NfxB protein may regulate the expression of genes that are associated with cell permeability of drugs in P. aeruginosa. The position of the amino acid substitution between the NfxB protein and the Nfx13E protein was located within a possible DNA-binding domain, suggesting that the mutant protein (Nfx13E) may have lost DNA binding ability and regulator activity.

Correlation between extrinsic nerve fibers and synapses in the muscle layers of bowels affected by Hirschsprung's disease

The aim of this study is to clarify any correlation between nerve terminals (synapses) and proliferating extrinsic nerve fibers in the muscle layers of bowels affected by Hirschsprung's disease (HD). Synapses and extrinsic nerve fibers in the muscle layers of bowels of 10 patients with HD and 8 comparable controls were labeled with monoclonal antibody (MAb) 171B5 and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), respectively. In the control a rich and even distribution of synapses, representing neuromuscular junctions, was seen in the muscle layers, together with dense clusters of synapses in the adjacent myenteric plexuses; proliferation of extrinsic nerve fibers was not seen. In the transitional oligoganglionic segment of HD, many synapses were present in the myenteric plexus, but a few synapses in the muscle layers; there was a gradual increase of extrinsic nerve fibers from proximal to distal. In the narrow aganglionic segment very few synapses were seen in the muscle layers; proliferating nerve fibers and bundles were prominent. We conclude that the muscle layers of bowels affected by HD were almost denervated despite presence of intrinsic nervous elements in the oligoganglionic segment and proliferating extrinsic nerve fibers in the aganglionic segment.

A point mutation in the 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine-binding domain of thyroid hormone receptor-beta associated with a family with generalized resistance to thyroid hormone

A tight linkage between generalized resistance to thyroid hormone (GRTH) and the thyroid hormone receptor-beta (TR beta) gene is indicated. We evaluated a family with GRTH for the TR beta gene. We found that a new point mutation, consisting of a cytosine to adenine replacement at nucleotide position 1642, resulted in substitution in codon 448 in the T3-binding domain of TR beta. This base substitution was found in only one allele of affected members, but not in unaffected members of the family. The in vitro translation products of this mutant TR beta gene demonstrated significantly reduced T3-binding affinity. Previously, others have reported a kindred with GRTH, in that the same codon was subjected to proline to histidine replacement due to a mutation consisting of a cytosine to adenine replacement at nucleotide position 1643. There appeared to be a significant phenotypic difference between our kindred and that described by others.