Atypical cutaneous lesions of Lyme disease

In 30 patients with Lyme disease, the lesions of erythema chronicum migrans were absent or atypical. Thirty biopsy specimens were obtained from cutaneous lesions of these patients. The predominant histological finding was a superficial dermal and deep perivascular and interstitial infiltrate composed mostly of lymphocytes but containing a few eosinophils and plasma cells. In serial sections with a silver stain, a few Borrelia burgdorferi were found in the biopsy specimens from cutaneous lesions in five patients. Thus, there is evidence that the typical lesions of erythema chronicum migrans of the classical Lyme disease do not develop while Borrelia burgdorferi survive and persist in cutaneous lesions.

Heterogeneity of Porphyromonas gingivalis strains on fimbrillin gene locus by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis

The adherence of Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) to the periodontal tissue may be an initial step in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease, and fimbriae is believed to play an important role in such processes. However, the heterogeneity of the size, sequence and antigenic reactivity of the fimbriae have been reported. The aim of the present study was to investigate the heterogeneity of P. gingivalis strains on the fimbrillin gene locus by RFLPs analysis. Fourty-seven P. gingivalis strains including 5 reference strains were used in this study. The plasmid (pUC13Bg 12.1) with the insert of fimA381 was modified with bisulfite and used as the probe. The genomic DNAs from P. gingivalis were digested with the restriction endonuclease SacI and PstI, electrophoresed, transferred and hybridized with the DNA probe. All Sac I digests generated one major band and the band size was almost the same (ca 2.5-kb), except strain W50. The Pst I digests showed one or two major bands and could be divided into 9 groups based on the band patterns. Moreover, isolates from one patient showed different band patterns. By RFLPs analysis, genetic heterogeneity seems to exist within the fimbrillin gene locus of P. gingivalis strains. Such genetic heterogeneity may reflect the previously reported difference of P. gingivalis fimbriae and moreover a single patient could be infected with more than one genotype of P. gingivalis.

Microsurgical recanalization of fallopian tubes after tubosterilization and its related factors. Report of 278 cases

Microsurgical tubocanalization was done in 412 patients. 278 women had the operation before the end of December 1987 and were followed up. The overall intrauterine pregnancy rate was 81.3% (92.86% for isthmus-isthmus anastomosis and 87.5% for ampulla-ampulla anastomosis). Two patients had ectopic pregnancy which was followed by term pregnancy subsequently. The factors affecting operative results were analyzed.

Immunohistochemical detection of aflatoxin B1-DNA adducts and hepatitis B virus antigens in hepatocellular carcinoma and nontumorous liver tissue

Monoclonal antibodies recognizing the stable imidazole ring-opened form of the major N7-guanine aflatoxin B1-DNA adduct have been used in competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and indirect immunofluorescence assays to quantitate adduct levels in liver tissue. Methods were developed in AFB1-treated animals, then applied to paired tumor and nontumor liver tissues of hepatocellular carcinoma patients from Taiwan. An avidin-biotin complex staining method was also used for of the detection of hepatitis B surface (HBsAg) and X (HBxAg) antigens in liver sections. A total of 8 (30%) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) samples and 7 (26%) adjacent nontumor liver tissue samples from Taiwan were positive for AFB1-DNA adducts. For HBsAg, 10 (37%) HCC samples and 22 (81%) adjacent nontumorous liver samples were positive, and 9 (33%) HCC samples and 11 (41%) adjacent nontumor liver samples were HBxAg positive. No association with AFB1-DNA adducts was observed for HBsAg and HBxAg. These methods should be useful in determining the role of exposure in the induction of HCC in Taiwan.

[Studies on the structure of alpha-trans-bergamotenol from Chinese santalwood oil]

A new sesquiterpenol was isolated from santalwood oil (Santalum album L., Santalaceae). Its structure and relative stereochemistry were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis (IR, MS, 1H-1H COSY, 13C-1H COSY and 1H-1H NOESY) as 9(10)Z, alpha-trans-bergamotenol (Ia).

DNA strand-specific repair of (+-)-3 alpha,4 beta-dihydroxy-1 alpha,2 alpha-epoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrobenzo[c]phenanthrene adducts in the hamster dihydrofolate reductase gene

We evaluated the formation and removal of (+-)-3 alpha,4 beta-dihydroxy-1 alpha,2 alpha-epoxy-1,2,3,4- tetrahydrobenzo[c]phenanthrene (BcPHDE)-DNA adducts in two Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines. One line of repair-proficient cells (MK42) carries a stable 150-fold amplification of the dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) locus. The other line of repair-deficient cells (UV-5) is diploid for this gene and is defective in excision of bulky DNA lesions. Two methods were used to quantitate adduct levels in treated cells: Escherichia coli UvrABC excision nuclease cleavage and 32P-postlabeling. DNA repair was examined in the actively transcribed DHFR gene, in an inactive region located 25 kilobases downstream, and in the overall genome. Between 8 and 24 hr after BcPHDE exposure, preferential repair of the DHFR gene compared to the noncoding region was apparent in MK42 cells. This gene-specific repair was associated with adduct removal from the DHFR transcribed strand. However, UV-5 cells showed no lesion reduction from this strand of the gene. By both quantitation methods, regions accessible to repair in MK42 cells showed a 2-fold reduction in DNA adduct levels by 24 hr. That the decline in adducts reflects genomic repair was demonstrated by the constant damage level remaining in UV-5 cells. Since BcPHDE-induced mutations in DHFR apparently arise from adducted purines on the nontranscribed strand, results from the present study support the idea that a consequence of strand-specific repair is strand-biased mutations.

Aflatoxin B1 DNA adducts in smeared tumor tissue from patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Aflatoxins are well-known animal hepatocarcinogens, but the association between aflatoxins and human hepatocellular carcinoma remains to be elucidated. A study method consisting of indirect immunofluorescence assay combined with densitometry was developed to quantitate aflatoxin B1 DNA adducts in smeared liver tissue obtained at the time of biopsy for diagnosis in 50 hepatocellular carcinoma patients in Taiwan. Monoclonal antibody 6A10, generated against the persistent form of the major N7 guanine adduct of aflatoxin B1, was used for detection of adduct. Thirty-five (70%) of the hepatocellular carcinoma samples had detectable levels of aflatoxin B1 DNA adducts (> or = 1/10(6) nucleotides). The detection rate was slightly lower in men (69%) than in women (75%), and younger patients had a significantly higher rate of adducts (83%) than did older ones (58%). Carriers of both HBsAg and HBeAg, carriers of HBsAg only and noncarriers had different rates of detection: 29%, 74% and 82%, respectively. Patients with family histories of hepatocellular carcinoma had a higher detection rate (100%) than did those patients without such histories (67%). No association was found between aflatoxin B1 DNA adducts in liver tissue and Child's score for severity of liver disease. The results suggest that aflatoxin B1 may be involved in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma in Taiwan. Our immunohistochemical method for analysis of adducts in small numbers of cells from the target organ should improve results of monitoring for the biologically effective dose of aflatoxin.

Amplification and expression of the human cyclin D gene in esophageal cancer

Amplification of the hst-1 and int-2 genes on chromosome 11q13 has previously been found in over 20% of human primary esophageal cancers. However, these two genes do not appear to be transcribed in appreciable amounts. Recently, the human cyclin D gene (also referred to as prad1) has been mapped to the 11q13 locus. Here, we report coamplification of the cyclin D and hst-1 genes in 5 of 20 (25%) human squamous esophageal tumors. We also detected significant levels of cyclin D transcription in two esophageal carcinoma cell lines, even though they did not express detectable amounts of hst-1 transcription. These findings provide the first evidence for the amplification of a cyclin gene in human esophageal cancer and suggest that an increase in cyclin D gene dosage could be an important factor in the pathogenesis of esophageal cancer. Additionally, because the 11q13 locus is found to be amplified in many types of human tumors, cyclin gene amplification could also play an important role in the development of other forms of human cancer.

Aflatoxin B1-DNA adducts and hepatitis B virus antigens in hepatocellular carcinoma and non-tumorous liver tissue

Studies were carried out to test the hypothesis that exposure to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is common among individuals with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who are also chronically infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). Experiments were also carried out to determine whether there is a close association between the presence of AFB1-DNA adducts and the expression of one or more HBV antigens in the tumor or non-tumor regions of the liver. Twenty-seven paired tumor and non-tumor liver tissues of HCC patients from Taiwan were analyzed. Monoclonal antibody 6A10, generated against the imidazole ring-opened persistent form of the major N-7 guanine adduct of AFB1, was used for adduct detection by both indirect immunofluorescence and competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. An avidin-biotin complex staining method was used for the detection of HBsAg and HBxAg in liver sections. A total of 8 (30%) HCC samples and 7 (26%) adjacent non-tumor liver tissue samples from Taiwan were positive for AFB1-DNA adducts. For HBsAg, 10 (37%) HCC samples and 22 (81%) adjacent non-tumorous liver samples were positive while 9 (33%) HCC samples and 11 (41%) adjacent non-tumor liver samples were HBxAg-positive. No association with AFB1-DNA adducts was observed for HBsAg and HBxAg. These results suggest that both AFB1 exposure and carrier status of HBsAg/HBxAg may be involved in the induction of HCC in Taiwan.

[A case of severe periodontal disease in adolescence associated with hypophosphatasia]

Hypophosphatasia is an inherited disorder characterized by defective bone mineralization, deficiency of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, increased excretion of phosphoethanolamine (PEA) in the urine and premature loss of the deciduous teeth. A male hypophosphatasia patient aged 15 years 6 months, with premature exfoliation of the deciduous teeth and manifesting severe periodontal destruction in the permanent dentition, was examined. Antibody titers against seven strains by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), monocyte and neutrophil chemotaxis studies and cellular immunity tests were performed. Low levels of ALP in serum and PEA in the urine were found. Radiographic examination showed a similar pattern of alveolar bone loss to that of the localized juvenile periodontitis. Suppressed monocyte and neutrophil chemotaxis were not detected. Slightly depressed CD2+, CD3+ and CD4+ and slightly elevated activity of NK cells were found. An elevated level of antibody to Porphyromonas gingivalis was observed and this antibody titer was decreased by periodontal treatments. The affected sites of the patient showed resistance to conventional periodontal therapy. P. gingivalis was estimated to associate as an important pathogen in the etiology of periodontal destruction in this hypophosphatasia patient in addition to the dental abnormalities such as abnormal enamel, dentin, or cementum formation.

Growth and differentiation of primary tracheal epithelial cells in culture: regulation by extracellular calcium

Growth and differentiation of primary monkey tracheal epithelial (MTE) cells maintained on collagen gel substrata were studied in a defined serum-free culture medium containing 0.03 to 3.0 mM extracellular calcium. Cell attachment efficiency (40-60%) was not altered by different calcium levels. Growth of primary MTE cells on collagen gel substrata, which was vitamin A dependent, was enhanced 50% in the medium supplemented with high calcium (greater than 0.3 mM). High calcium medium also increased cell-cell interactions, formation of desmosomes, and multi-cell layering. The relative content of mucous cells, which were identified by a mucin-specific monoclonal antibody and the presence of mucus-secreting granules at the ultrastructural level, was greater in the high-calcium medium. Furthermore, the secretion of mucin into the medium, determined either by an ELISA or by the incorporation of 3H-glucosamine into mucous glycoprotein fractions, was also increased more than 5-fold in media containing high calcium content (greater than 0.6 mM). In contrast, MTE cells cultured in low calcium medium (less than 0.15 mM) were squamous-like with prominent tonofilaments, and their secretory product was mainly hyaluronate. These results demonstrate that media containing a high calcium content promote conducting airway epithelium to express mucous cell differentiation, while media with low calcium content promote squamous cell differentiation.

Quantitation of aflatoxin B1-DNA adducts in woodchuck hepatocytes and rat liver tissue by indirect immunofluorescence analysis

A quantitative indirect immunofluorescence technique was developed utilizing a monoclonal antibody (6A10) recognizing the imidazole ring-opened form of the major N-7 guanine adduct of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). This method was used to investigate adduct formation in woodchuck hepatocytes treated in culture and in liver tissue of rats treated i.p. with AFB1. Fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled secondary antiserum was used for adduct localization in conjunction with 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride staining to localize nuclei. Quantitation of AFB1-DNA adducts was carried out by densitometric analysis of photographic slides. Specific nuclear staining was observed in both woodchuck hepatocytes and rat liver tissue. There was a dose-response relationship between fluorescence intensity and AFB1 dose in treated animals. Turnover of adducts could also be followed in animals over 48 h with this method. DNA was isolated from liver tissue of treated animals and adduct levels were quantitated by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with antibody 6A10 and by fluorescence spectroscopy. There was a significant correlation of the quantitative immunofluorescence intensity with levels of AFB1 adducts detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (r = 0.61, P less than 0.05) and spectrofluorescence (r = 0.78, P less than 0.01). This immunohistochemical method should be applicable to the detection of adducts in liver tissues of humans exposed to high levels of dietary AFB1.

3-D image analysis system and megakaryocyte quantitation

A quasi-automatic computer image analysis system has been developed for 3-D reconstruction of stained serial sections and implemented on an IBAS system. Some new automatic image analysis techniques have been designed and incorporated into the system. For image segmentation, a transition region determination based thresholding method is introduced. Neither histogram calculation nor empirical parameters are needed in the automatic threshold selection. A two step 3-D reconstruction procedure--symbolic and pictorial reconstructions--is designed to improve the flexibility and the computational capability of the system. The global level registration and local level registration are separated. The former consists of establishing the relationship among a large numbers of profile pairs dispersed in adjacent sections. A pattern matching method based on pattern recognition principles is devised to exploit the information about the statistical character of mismatch caused by deformation of sections and about the relationship of nearby objects. For the latter, an equivalent elliptical approximation method based on the physical theory of the rotation of rigid bodies is proposed. The system has been used for 3-D reconstruction and quantitation of megakaryocytes in human bone marrow tissue. Features about individual 3-D megakaryocyte cell and the spatial distribution of megakaryocytes are determined. The latter is a new contribution to megakaryocyte quantitation and is not possible by using conventional stereologic techniques. These experimental results have demonstrated the ability of the system to perform quantitative analysis.

Evidence for the simultaneous translocation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptor and G protein by carbachol

Interactions between guanine nucleotide regulatory proteins (G proteins) and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) were studied in vivo following carbachol treatment. Rat brain homogenates were separated by high speed ultracentrifugation into heavy and light membrane and 300,000 g supernate fractions. The G proteins were partially purified by Sephadex-G200 and heptylamine-Sepharose and the mAChRs by (3,2'-aminobenzhydryloxy)-tropane-(ABT)-affinity chromatographies. Radioligand binding assays showed that acute carbachol induced a biphasic translocation of the mAChRs and G proteins into the light membrane fraction with an initial release at 5-10 min and a second phase at 60 min. Portions of the released mAChRs and the G proteins, were found in the 300,000 g supernates and light membranes and were eluted in the same peak fractions from a Sephadex G-200 column. This dually labelled peak dissociated in the presence of digitonin, suggesting close association between the mAChR and G protein. ABT-affinity chromatography yielded dually labelled mAChR-G protein fractions which eluted as a single radioactive peak on a second ABT column. The partially purified G proteins from these fractions were photoaffinity labelled with 8-azidoguanosine-5'-triphosphate, [gamma-32P]. SDS-PAGE autoradiography revealed the presence of Go alpha and Gi alpha which may be released simultaneously with the mAChRs from the plasma membrane. In addition, 110,000 molecular weight polypeptide was dually labelled by [3H]-PrBCM and [gamma-32P]-8-azido-GTP suggesting the presence of a "mAChR-G protein complex." These findings provide direct evidence for the release of mAChRs and G proteins and a mAChR-G protein complex by agonist occupation of the mAChRs.

[Clinical, bacteriological, and immunological examination and treatment of two Papillon-Lefevre syndrome patients]

Papillon-Lefèvre Syndrome (PLS) is a rare disease accompanied by palmo-plantar hyperkeratosis and rapidly progressive periodontal breakdown of deciduous and permanent dentition. Two unrelated female PLS patients, four and seven years old, with severe periodontal destruction were examined. Antibody titers against seven strains by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), microbial cultures from deep periodontal pockets and mouth rinse samples and immunoblotting analysis were performed. Titers against Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (A.a.) were found to be high by the ELISA test. Microbial cultures of A. a. were found in high percentage and immunoblotting results against sonicated extracts of an A. a. Y4 strain had similar patterns. All deciduous teeth were extracted from the younger patient, later permanent dentition erupted uneventfully and A. a. colonies could not be detected. However, the older patient did not exhibit improvement with conventional periodontal therapy and antibiotic (minocycline/erythromycin) treatment and A. a. colonies could be consistently cultured. After a subsequent ofloxacin medication, A. a. colony detection was suppressed. Furthermore, a reduction of gingival inflammation and pocket depth were observed. Therefore, A. a. was associated as an important pathogen in the etiology of periodontal disease in these PLS patients.

Increasing flap survival: a new method

A new method of continuous irrigation beneath a flap with special irrigation was designed to attempt to improve flap survival in 42 animals. In each animal experimental and control flaps were symmetrically designed using two flanks or limbs (total number of flaps, 154). The flap length survival in the 77 experimental flaps ranged from 18 to 88% greater than that in the control flaps. Bacterial cultures of the secretions from all flaps suggested that this method has a practical value in preventing and controlling the infections that would result in flap necrosis.

Phosphorylation-dephosphorylation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors: evidence for the in vivo and in vitro release of receptors from rat brain plasma membrane

The effects of phosphorylation on muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) were studied in vitro and in vivo using rat brain plasma membrane and receptors partially purified at least 2500-fold. Purified mAChRs were phosphorylated in vitro by cAMP-dependent protein kinase and dephosphorylated by calcineurin. Phosphorylation of purified mAChRs was enhanced by carbachol and blocked by atropine. The filtrate which passed through glass fiber filters and high speed supernates were assayed for mAChRs by an ammonium sulfate precipitation method. Following incubation of the plasma membrane under phosphorylating conditions and ultracentrifugation at 300,000 g, the mAChRs appeared in the high speed supernate. This release was stimulated by adding carbachol to the incubation medium. In rats treated with carbachol, brain mAChRs redistributed from the heavy into the light membrane fractions. Ultrastructural examination of the light membrane fractions and the 300,000 g supernatant fractions after in vivo and in vitro carbachol treatment calcineurin increased the reincorporation of added partially purified receptors into the plasma membrane. The release and reincorporation of mAChRs strongly imply that there is a translocation and recycling of mAChRs between plasma membrane and cytosol in vivo. The significance and the function of the translocation of mAChRs remain to be investigated.

Detection of DNA adducts in skin biopsies of coal tar-treated psoriasis patients: immunofluorescence and 32P postlabeling

A clinical therapy for psoriasis, a hyperproliferative disease of the skin, utilizes topical application of crude coal tar sometimes followed by UV irradiation (Goeckerman therapy). To investigate the formation of covalent DNA adducts resulting from this therapy, skin biopsies were obtained from treated patients and controls. Indirect immunofluorescence staining with antisera generated against benzo(a)pyrene diol epoxide-modified DNA was used to investigate cell-specific localization of adduct formation. Specific nuclear staining was detected in the epidermal cells of all biopsies from treated patients but not from control biopsies obtained from untreated individuals. 32P postlabeling of DNA isolated from the biopsies was used to determine the spectrum of hydrophobic adducts present. A pattern of multiple adducts was detected in the samples obtained from the treated patients but not from controls.

[Studies on the chemical composition of Lysimachia fortunei Maxim]

Two crystalline substances were isolated from the petroleum either extract of the herbal medicine Lysimachia fortunei: triacontanol and a mixture of the derivatives of the pigment 2,5-dihydroxyl-3-alkyl benzoquinone. Mass spectral examination of this pigment revealed the presence of embelin and its five homologues, of which three homologues possessing dodecane, tetradecane and hexadecane respectively in the alkyl side chain have not been reported so far.

[The killing action of a Chinese herbal mixture on human tumor cells in vitro and its effect on cell-cycle]

Previous studies had shown that injection of Chinese herbal mixture (ICHM) had antitumor and anti-metastatic actions on various transplantable animal tumors. In the present study, the authors observed the obvious killing actions of ICHM on human gastric cancer cell line BGC-823 and breast cancer cell line MCF-7 in vitro. The IC50 were 0.02 g crude drug/ml and 0.018 g crude drug/ml respectively. The study of the effect of ICHM on the cell-cycle of BGC-823 cell showed that ICHM decreased the number of cells in S phase and increased the number of cells in G1 phase significantly. The results indicated that the BGC-823 cells was blocked on S phase by ICHM. Meanwhile, ICHM reduced 3H-TdR incorporation into DNA, the cpm value was much lower than that of the control.

[Analysis of the vascular morphology of the placenta in normal pregnancies and in intrauterine fetal growth retardation]

8% barium sulfate was used in 70 cases of placental angiography. The placentas were studied and classified, including normal placentas and intrauterine growth retarded fetus (IUGR) placentas. In 14 of 20 IUGR cases placental cotyledonic artery was thin and less-branched, while it was so in only 5 of the normal cases. (P less than 0.005) Cotyledon is the basic functional unit, so the thin and less-branched cotyledon leads to the shortage of blood supply for fetus and then influences fetal growth and development. Thus is revealed the relationship between IUGR fetus and placental vascular morphology.