Studies on the influence of ovarian small cysts on endocrine in patients with polycystic ovaries

To clarify the influence of small follicular cysts in ovaries on endocrine in ovulatory patients with multifollicular ovaries (MFO), the comparative study of endocrine among ovulatory patients with MFO and anovulatory patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) were examined. In ovulatory patients with MFO, there was no significant correlation between the increase in the number of ovarian cysts and gonadotropin levels, however, estrone and androgen levels tended to increase as the number of cysts increased. LH levels in PCOS were significantly higher than those in patients with more than 10 small cysts; however, there was no significant difference in androgen levels between the two. It was suggested that MFO is a progressive disease and that the presence of more than 10 small follicular cysts in each ovary in ovulatory women may be latent PCOS.

Immunoreactive C-type natriuretic peptide in human adrenal glands and adrenal tumors

C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) in human adrenal glands and adrenal tumors was measured with a specific radioimmunoassay for CNP. Tissue immunoreactive (IR-) CNP concentrations were 0.54 +/- 0.40 pmol/g wet tissue (gwt) (mean +/- SD) in 14 pheochromocytomas, 0.69 +/- 0.19 pmol/gwt in six adrenocortical tumors, and 0.49 +/- 0.22 pmol/gwt in seven normal adrenal glands (cortex and medulla mixed). These concentrations were comparable to those found in tissues from human brains. Sephadex G-50 superfine column chromatography and reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography revealed that IR-CNP in normal adrenal glands and pheochromocytoma consisted of at least two components: a component in low molecular weight form chromatographically identical to CNP-22 and the other, a high molecular weight form very similar to human CNP-53. This study has shown that IR-CNP is present in human adrenal glands and adrenal tumors with similar molecular forms and comparable concentrations to those in the human brain.

Immunotoxins composed of monoclonal antibody to alpha-fetoprotein and gelonin as a potent hepatoma-targeted drug delivery system

This study was carried out to evaluate our monoclonal antibody (MoAb) to alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), 80G, as a carrier for targeting AFP-producing hepatoma. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed that the MoAb 80G was actively incorporated into AFP-producing HuH-7N cells (xenograft of human hepatoma cell line, HuH-7) in nude mice. Four conjugates composed of MoAb 80G, and a type 1 ribosome-inactivating protein, gelonin, were prepared. They involve two disulfide-linked and two thioether-linked conjugates. The binding activity of conjugates against AFP remained as high as that of intact 80G according to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The in vitro cytotoxic effects of all the conjugates were specific against AFP-producing HuH-7 cells. Of these conjugates, two containing gelonin modified with 2-iminothiolane were more potent than the others. They showed significant antitumor activity upon AFP-producing HuH-7N cells in nude mice. However, the disulfide conjugate was more toxic to mice than the thioether conjugate judging from the loss in body weight and the liver damage. These results suggest that our MoAb 80G is a suitable carrier for targeting AFP-producing hepatoma cells, and that the noncleavable thioether conjugate is promising as an AFP-producing hepatoma-targeted drug delivery system.

The effect of delta sleep-inducing peptide (DSIP) on the changes of body (core) temperature induced by serotonergic agonists in rats

Hyperthermia induced by high doses of 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyl-tryptamine (5-MeODMT) was diminished and hypothermia induced by low doses of 5-MeODMT was enhanced by pretreatment with delta sleep-inducing peptide (DSIP). Delta sleep-inducing peptide had an enhancing effect of hypothermia induced by 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino) tetralin (8-OH-DPAT). This action of DSIP was completely inhibited by ICV injection of anti-DSIP. Pindolol prevented the enhancing action of DSIP on both 8-OH-DPAT- and apomorphine-induced hypothermia. It is suggested that the thermoregulatory action of DSIP is primarily exerted by a 5-HT1A mechanism in the rat.

Conversion of G-protein specificity of insulin-like growth factor II/mannose 6-phosphate receptor by exchanging of a short region with beta-adrenergic receptor

The 14-residue peptide (peptide 14) corresponding to Arg2410-Lys2423 of the insulin-like growth factor II receptor (IGF-IIR) can activate the adenylate cyclase-inhibitor guanine nucleotide-binding protein Gi, and the 15-residue beta III-2 peptide Arg259-Lys273 of the beta 2-adrenergic receptor (beta 2AR) can activate the stimulatory protein Gs. In phospholipid vesicles, IGF-IIR and beta 2AR activate Gi and Gs in response to IGF-II and isoproterenol, respectively. We constructed a chimeric IGF-II receptor (beta III-2/IGF-IIR) by converting its native peptide 14 sequence to the beta III-2 sequence. In cells expressing beta III-2/IGF-IIR, membrane adenylate cyclase activity markedly increased without IGF-II and was further promoted by IGF-II. This was verified by measuring chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) activity in beta III-2/IGF-IIR cells with cotransfection of a cAMP response element-CAT construct. This study shows not only the conversion of G-protein specificity of a receptor from Gi to Gs but also the simulation of G protein-coupled receptor signals by using a short receptor region and intact cells. These findings indicate that the G protein-activation signals are interchangeable, self-determined structural motifs that function in the setting of either a single-spanning or multiple-spanning receptor.

Thrombospondin as an agglutinin of platelets

To study a hypothesis that thrombospondin (TSP) might function as an agglutinin in platelet aggregation, we designed two experiments. First, we prepared fibrinogen-coated agarose beads (fbg-beads) as a model of platelets, and subjected them to aggregometry using TSP as an inducer. TSP induced agglutination of fbg-beads in a dose-dependent manner. Calcium (Ca) and Magnesium (Mg) were necessary for the agglutination, and the aggregability was dependent on the concentration of Ca. These results confirmed the function of TSP as an agglutinin, suggesting some characteristics of the fbg-TSP interaction as well. Secondly, a variety of platelets were subjected to TSP-induced aggregation assay. Both gel-filtrated and washed-platelets were aggregated by TSP in a dose dependent manner and dissociated with EDTA. The same aggregation was observed in formalin-fixed platelets. Both Ca and Mg were required for the aggregation, and the maximum aggregation rate was dependent on the Ca concentration. Ca seemed to regulate the capacity as well as the affinity of the binding sites for TSP on platelets. Fibrinogen and some aminosugars inhibited the aggregation. These data suggest TSP may function as an agglutinin of platelets, and Ca may regulate the interaction between platelets and TSP. As one of the candidates for the receptor for TSP on platelet, fbg-GPIIb/IIIa was suggested because of the similarity between fbg-beads and platelets aggregation induced by TSP, and the Ca-dependency in both the GPIIb/IIIa induction and the TSP-induced platelet aggregation.

Stabilization of inducible nitric oxide synthase by monoclonal antibodies

We have produced 14 monoclonal antibodies to inducible nitric oxide synthase purified from rat peritoneal cytotoxic activated macrophages. None of the antibodies showed neutralizing activity, but some of them enhanced the enzyme activity through stabilization of the enzyme.

Three-dimensional motion analysis of the upper cervical spine during axial rotation

Rotational motion of the normal upper cervical spine was analyzed in 20 men using biplanar roentgenograms, a system digitizer, and a personal computer. To detect the bony landmarks of the atlas, the subjects' heads were fixed and their trunks rotated in the reference frame while these biplanar studies were obtained. Coupling motions observed included 10 degrees extension at C0-C1, with 11 degrees of lateral bending between C1-C2. Almost all (80%) cervical axial rotation took place at C1-C2, whereas only 4 degrees of rotation occurred at C0-C1. Furthermore, as C1-C2 axial rotation increased, so did rotation in the opposite direction at C0-C1 while less rotation was noted below C2. The instantaneous axis of rotation was located anterior to the foramen magnum at the C0-C1 level, in the central portion of the dens at C1-C2.

Sustained c-kit expression in a human erythroleukemia cell line (HEL) after megakaryocytic differentiation induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)

Changes in c-kit proto-oncogene expression were examined in a human erythroleukemia cell line, HEL, during 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA)-induced megakaryocytic differentiation. When HEL cells were treated with 10(-7) M TPA, glycophorin A expression and hemoglobin synthesis were reduced, while the expression of GP IIb/IIIa was induced in association with the morphological changes. Northern blot analysis showed that, during this megakaryocytic differentiation of HEL cells, c-kit mRNA expression persisted even after there was an apparent reduction in c-myc mRNA. This finding supports the idea that the expression of c-kit, a marker of primitive hematopoietic progenitors, may persist along with differentiation toward a megakaryocytic lineage.

Retrospective study of possible alpha-2 mu-globulin nephropathy and associated cell proliferation in male Fischer 344 rats dosed with t-butyl alcohol

Tert-butyl alcohol, an important commodity chemical, additive to unleaded gasoline, and contaminant of drinking water, was evaluated for toxicity and was found to enhance nephropathy in male Fischer 344 rats. Because male rats treated with t-butyl alcohol for 2 years had a low incidence of renal cortical tumors, additional renal sections for the 90-day toxicity study were examined for the presence of hyaline droplet accumulation, nephropathy, and evidence of replicative DNA synthesis (S-phase nuclei) to indirectly and retrospectively investigate a possible role of alpha-2 mu-globulin in the pathogenesis of the nephropathy. Dose levels for t-butyl alcohol were 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4% (w/v) administered in drinking water. Significant body weight gain depressions were observed in all treated males, and there was an absolute weight loss in the 4% male group, none of which survived to the end of the study. Except for the 4% dose group, there was a treatment-related increase in hyaline droplet accumulation in the renal proximal tubules with crystalline, rectangular, and rhomboid forms of the protein evident. The severity of nephropathy was enhanced in treated rats, except for the 4% dose group. Replicative DNA synthesis, as measured by immunohistochemical staining for proliferating cell nuclear antigen, was increased in proximal tubules of rats dosed with 2% t-butyl alcohol. It is concluded that t-butyl alcohol exacerbated nephropathy in male Fischer 344 rats and increased renal accumulation of hyaline protein material consistent with alpha-2 mu-globulin deposition.

Hair analysis for drugs of abuse. VI. The excretion of methoxyphenamine and methamphetamine into beards of human subjects

The excretion of methoxyphenamine (MOP) and methamphetamine (MA) into beards has been studied. Six healthy male subjects orally took 50 mg of MOP at a single dose and 7 doses for a successive 7 days. Their beard hairs were collected by an electric shaver every morning until MOP disappeared from the beard. After washing with 0.1% SDS, the beard samples were extracted with methanol-5 N HCl (20:1) under ultra-sonication for 1 h and the solution was kept overnight. MOP in the extract was determined by GC/MS using deuterium labelled MOP as an internal standard after trifluoroacetyl-derivatization. The drug concentrations in beard and the reproducibility of analysis were compared with the three procedures, unwashed, 0.1% SDS (wash I) and the additional ethanol (wash II) wash. The drug concentration in beard after SDS wash was 0.5-2.5 ng/mg lower than that in unwashed beard during the first 5-6 days. The drug concentration in beard after ethanol wash was much lower than that in the unwashed beard. The drug excreted into beard was detected 10 approximately 12 days for a single dose and 12-14 days for 7 doses after the last dosage at the cut off level of 1 ng/mg. On the contrary, the drug excreted in urine was not detected after more than 3 days after use. O-Desmethyl MOP, a major metabolite of MOP, was also detected in beard. The procedures were applied to the detection of MA in beard of MA abusers. It was realized that a beard sample was more useful than a urine sample assuming a longer detection.

HTLV-II-specific antisera raised in rabbits immunized with a synthetic peptide of HTLV-II envelope protein

In order to discriminate HTLV-II from HTLV-I, HTLV-II-specific polyclonal antibodies against a synthetic peptide of HTLV-II envelope sequence were raised in rabbits. We immunized two adult rabbits with a KLH-conjugated synthetic peptide corresponding to the amino acid sequence 171-196 of the HTLV-II envelope sequence, which is a specific region for HTLV-II as evaluated with an ELISA method. The resulting rabbit antisera to the synthetic peptide reacted with gp46 of HTLV-II lysates in Western blot analysis but not with that of HTLV-I. Flow cytometric analysis and immunohistochemical study revealed that these affinity purified antisera recognized some HTLV-II-producing cell lines examined, but not HTLV-I-producing cell lines or other cell lines uninfected by HTLV. These findings indicate that these antisera specifically recognized the envelope glycoprotein (gp46) of HTLV-II and suggest the specificity of this region in the immune response to HTLV-II. Such antisera are useful in distinguishing between HTLV-I and HTLV-II infection and in determining the presence of individual HTLV-II-infected cells both in vivo and in vitro, including non-lymphoid cells. They may also assist in the elucidation of the pathogenesis of HTLV-II.

Serological survey for Borrelia burgdorferi infection in cattle in southern Hokkaido

By means of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi were examined in 970 cattle from southern Hokkaido, Japan. The seropositivity rate in the cattle less than 2 years old differed significantly from that in those 3 years old or more. A seasonal variation was also observed in the rate of seropositivity to B. burgdorferi. High levels of anti-B. burgdorferi antibody were detected even in sera from a healthy group of cattle, indicating that there are likely to be many inapparent cases of B. burgdorferi infection. This article discusses the syndromes associated with Lyme borreliosis and addresses the issues of diagnosis and treatment in animals.

In vivo induction of apoptosis (programmed cell death) in mouse thymus by administration of lipopolysaccharide

In vivo administration of bacterial lipopolysaccharide to mice induced DNA fragmentation in the thymus. Fragmented DNA was confirmed by agarose gel electrophoresis and laser flow cytometry. DNA fragmentation was predominantly detected in the thymus of young mice, while it was undetectable in the spleen, bone marrow, and lymph nodes. DNA fragmentation in the thymus was roughly dependent on the dose of lipopolysaccharide injected and reached the peak about 18 h after the injection. The addition of lipopolysaccharide to in vitro cultures of thymocytes did not cause DNA fragmentation, suggesting that lipopolysaccharide was unable to induce apoptosis of thymocytes directly. The injection of lipopolysaccharide induced no significant DNA fragmentation in adrenalectomized mice. The injection of anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha antibody together with lipopolysaccharide partially inhibited the appearance of DNA fragmentation in the thymus. On the basis of the fact that DNA fragmentation is one of the characteristics typical in apoptotic cell death, it was suggested that lipopolysaccharide could induce apoptosis in the mouse thymus in vivo. This apoptosis in the thymus might be mediated mainly by the adrenal hormones, but it is likely that tumor necrosis factor alpha might also participate in it.

Prevention of type I diabetes with lymphotoxin in BB rats

We previously reported that nonspecific immunomodulations with a streptococcal preparation (OK-432), an inducer of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), or with recombinant TNF prevented development of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) in animal models (NOD mice and BB rats). Recently we have further reported that lymphotoxin (LT), a cytokine with functional and structural characteristics similar to those of TNF, also protected NOD mice from diabetes. In this study, we have extended our observation on the LT to BB rats. Male and female BB/Wor rats were treated intraperitoneally with recombinant human LT three times a week from 4 to 11 weeks of age. The cumulative incidence of diabetes by 14 weeks of age was 24/30 (80.0%) in nontreated control rats, whereas it was 10/26 (38.5% vs control, P < 0.01) and 4/29 (13.8% vs control, P < 0.0001) in the rats treated with 1 x 10(3) and 1 x 10(4) of LT, respectively. There was no significant difference in nonfasting blood glucose levels and body weights between nontreated control and LT-treated rats, which were nondiabetic. In the LT-treated rats, intensity of insulitis was significantly reduced in comparison with the nontreated rats. Concanavalin A-stimulated TNF/LT productivity of spleen cells was significantly lower in BB/Wor and BB/Sendai rats than in Wistar rats or other normal rat strains. On the other hand, there was no difference between BB/Sendai and Wistar rats in the in vivo TNF/LT productivity induced with LPS or with IFN-gamma plus LPS, and the TNF/LT productivity of these rats was lower on stimulation with LPS alone, but higher with IFN-gamma plus LPS than the other normal rats. These results indicate that treatment with LT, as well as TNF, modulated autoimmunity and prevented development of IDDM in BB/Wor rats which may be low producers of TNF/LT.

Dose response for TCDD promotion of hepatocarcinogenesis in rats initiated with DEN: histologic, biochemical, and cell proliferation endpoints

The present study examines the dose-response relationship for 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) promotion of histologic and biochemical parameters by using a two-stage model for hepatocarcinogenesis in female Sprague-Dawley rats initiated with a single intraperitoneal dose of 175 mg of diethylnitrosamine (DEN)/kg body weight at 70 days of age. Starting 2 weeks after initiation, treatment groups of 8-10 rats were given TCDD by gavage in corn oil once every 2 weeks for 30 weeks. Doses were 3.5, 10.7, 35.7, and 125 ng TCDD/kg body weight/day. A significant body weight reduction was present in the noninitiated group that received 125 ng TCDD. Relative liver weight was statistically increased in initiated rats treated with > or = 10.7 ng TCDD and in noninitiated rats treated with > or = 35.7 ng TCDD. Histopathologic evidence of cytotoxicity was dose-related in all TCDD-treated groups. There was a statistically significant dose response in the bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) S-phase labeling index (LI) in the DEN-initiated rats (p < 0.01) and a marginally significant trend in the saline-treated rats (p = 0.10), but proliferating cell nuclear antigen S-phase LI and growth fraction within altered hepatic foci showed no increase. Among the DEN-initiated groups there was a significant increase in glutathione S-transferase altered hepatic foci stereological parameters in the 125 ng TCDD group. This study demonstrates that dose-response relationships for TCDD's effects on cell proliferation growth of altered hepatic foci are different from previously reported effects on P450 gene expression, indicating that different biological or biochemical responses may exhibit different dose-response relationships.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Predicting the clinical efficacy of house dust mite immunotherapy in bronchial asthmatics by multiple quantification analysis type II]

To predict the clinical efficacy of house dust mite immunotherapy (IT) for bronchial asthma, clinical factors before IT were analyzed in relation to clinical efficacy. The factors analyzed were severity, skin test threshold, age at which IT was started, duration of asthma, onset of asthma, FEV1.0%, serum IgE levels before IT, the presence of allergens other than HD, family history of atopic disease, complications with other allergic diseases, sex, seasonality of attacks and the maintenance dose. The clinical efficacy ranging from good response to no benefit was well discriminated by this analysis. The rate of discrimination was about 90%, indicating clinical usefulness of the method. In this study, skin test threshold seemed to be the most important factor, followed by FEV1.0%. While severity and age have been reported to be important, those who show good FEV1.0% and low skin test threshold, regardless of their severity or age, may be good candidates for IT.

Methylprednisolone therapy in laser injury of the retina

The efficacy of methylprednisolone in argon-laser-induced retinal injury in primates was evaluated by clinical, histopathologic, and morphometric criteria. Methylprednisolone was given with a loading dose of 30 mg/kg followed by 5.4 mg/kg per hour in three different regimens: (1) starting 24 h before laser and continuing for 4 days; (2) starting immediately after laser and continuing for 4 days; and (3) starting immediately after laser and continuing for 8 h. Fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, and histologic examination showed significant beneficial effects of all three treatments compared to controls. Morphometrically, at the center of the lesion, the width of disrupted outer nuclear layer, the width of the affected RPE, and the percentage of residual photoreceptor nuclei confirmed the efficacies of treatment regimens 1 and 2, but not treatment regimen 3.