Long term culture and caffeine production of immobilized coffee (Coffea arabica) L. cells in polyurethane foam

Coffee (Coffea arabica L.) cells could be immobilized in polyurethane foam and subcultured repeatedly for a long time. Four phases were observed for cell growth and caffeine production, I; immobilization, II; growth, III; caffeine production, IV; regrowth. Their periods were influenced by the number of foam particles. Especially in the phase III, the immobilized cells produced a relatively large amount of caffeine in the subculture numbers 5-8 (34 cubes) when the fresh weight of the immobilized cells decreased despite culture in growth medium (DK medium). Caffeine production appeared to have a negative correlation with the growth of the immobilized cells throughout the subcultures.

Production of theanine and other γ-glutamyl derivatives by Camellia sinensis cultured cells

The maximum theanine production by Camellia sinensis cultured cells was achieved by culturing in the modified MS medium containing 2 mg/l indole-3-butyric acid, 0.1 mg/l kinetin, 0 mM NH4NO3 and 39.6 mM KNO3 with 40 mM ethylamine hydrochloride or 20 mM ethylamine hydrochloride and 10 mM L-glutamic acid. Other primary amines, such as methylamine, n-butylamine, 2-hydroxyethylamine, 2cyanoethylamine, aniline, benzylamine and phenylethylamine, were also biotransformed to N(5)-alkyl-L-glutamine derivatives by C. sinensis cultured cells.

[Histological study of the oral mucosa of PSS]

Histological examination was performed on the oral mucosa of 25 patients with PSS which consisted of 16 cases of Acrosclerotic type (A type) and 9 cases of Diffuse type (D type). Results obtained were as follows: (A) Sclerotic change of connective tissue were found in the submucosal area (a type) and in the salivary peri-glandular++ area (b type) and also in the both areas (c type). (1) In A type of PSS, sclerotic changes was found in 14 out of 16 cases (87.5%) and (2) In D type, 9 out of 9 cases (100%). (3) In D type, sclerotic changes were marked and, moreover, found in the earlier stage of disease more than in A type. (B) Inflammatory change of salivary gland based on the criteria of Chisholm and Mason. (1) Moderate and marked salivary gland adenitis were found in 6 out of 16 cases of A type (37.5%) and 2 out of 9 cases of D type (22%). (2) Adenitis were found more frequently in the early stage of disease in both types. From above described findings, it is concluded that 1) as to sclerotic change, the early and marked changes were found in D type and 2) as to inflammation of salivary gland, no significant difference was found between both types.

Onset of compensatory hypertrophy of interstitial tissue and Leydig cells in rats hemicastrated around the time of puberty

When rats were unilaterally castrated at 20, 30, and 40 days of age, only those rats hemicastrated at 40 days showed compensatory hypertrophy of the interstitial tissue and Leydig cells when killed 30 days after hemicastration. At the time of death, volume densities of interstitial tissue, Leydig cells, and vascular components were greater in 70-day-old hemicastrated rats than in intact rats of the same age. The total number of Leydig cells per testis in hemicastrated and intact rats was always the same at any age. Estimated Leydig cell volume in 70-day-old rats was twice that in intact rats. By contrast, the testes of 50- and 60-day-old rats at the time of death displayed essentially the same morphological features, regardless of whether animals were hemicastrated. The concentration of plasma testosterone was higher in 50-day-old controls than in hemicastrated rats. Seventy-day-old hemicastrated rats showed higher levels of plasma testosterone than controls. The level of plasma dihydrotestosterone in 60- and 70-day-old hemicastrated rats exceeded that in the controls. A significant increase in follicle-stimulating hormone was noted in 50- and 70-day-old hemicastrated rats compared to normal rats, while levels of luteinizing hormone were basically the same. The increase in Leydig cell volume, interstitial tissue volume, vascular component volume, and plasma testosterone level caused by hemicastration at 40 days of age differed from that at 20 and 30 days of age.

[A case of malignant lymphoma with various ocular manifestations]

A case of malignant lymphoma with a variety of ophthalmological findings was reported. The patient was a 65-year-old man with malignant lymphoma in retro-peritoneum (stage IV). Uveitis with hypopyon and secondary glaucoma appeared in his right eye, optic neuritis in his left eye. We compared clinical observations with histopathological findings and found that glaucoma was due to direct obstruction in the trabecular space by tumor cells and optic neuritis was due to the tumor cell infiltration into optic nerve.

[Histological study on localized scleroderma]

To define stage-specific and type-specific histological findings in morphea, 21 (14 plaque, 2 linear, and 5 en coup de sabre type) patients were examined. A) Fibrotic changes; 1) Every case had the fibrotic change of various degrees. 2) Nodular sclerotic fibrosis was found in 7 cases with morphea, namely in 5 of 11 cases with a plaque type and 2 of 4 en coup de sabre type morphea. And the above mentioned 7 cases were within two years since the onset, and no nodular fibrosis was found in the morphea with the longer duration than two years in history. Nodular fibrosis was located in the middle or lower dermis adjacent to the typical sclerotic dermis. It was strongly suggested that this nodular fibrosis is as an initial change of localized scleroderma. 3) Nodular fibrosis expanded to the neighboring area and made a typical histological feature of morphea which is completely different from that of diffuse scleroderma. B) Inflammatory findings; 1) Inflammatory changes were divided into, a perivascular, a diffuse or non-perivascular, and a mixed type. 2) The pure perivascular type was found in 10, the pure diffuse type only in one, the mixed type in 6 cases, and the other 4 cases had no inflammation. 3) Marked or moderate inflammation was found in cases with short history of the disease except for one case. 4) Inflammatory cells in the morphea were mainly composed of lymphocytes and histiocytes, but occasionally of plasma cells in 11 of 17 cases. C) Pigmentary changes; Incontinentia pigmenti was found in 18 of 21 cases.

[Evaluation of immunotoxicity testings using azathioprine-treated rats: the International Collaborative Immunotoxicity Study (Azathioprine)]

The immunotoxicological effects of azathioprine (AZP) were examined by enhanced histopathological and function tests in the rat which is routinely used in toxicological tests. Male F344 rats were orally administered AZP in doses of 0, 2.5, 12.5 and 25.0 mg/kg/day for 28 days. Reductions in the organ weights of the thymus, spleen, liver, kidney, and testis in a dose-dependent manner were confirmed. Hematological examination revealed a marked decrease in the number of WBCs, which was associated with a decrease in the number of lymphocytes. In the femoral bone marrow, a significant reduction in the total cell number attributed to the decrease in the number of lymphocytes and granulocytes was observed. Histopathologically, atrophy and obfuscation of the corticomedullary junction in the thymus, the decrease of lymphocytes in the thymus and spleen, and the disappearance of germinal centers in the lymph nodes were observed. As for the functional testings, azathioprine treatment did not affect remarkably the PFC number and the NK cell activity per unit spleen cell number. However, the total spleen cell number per spleen was decreased in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, the total functional activities (PFC and NK) per spleen were decreased. Thus, in the AZP-treated F344 rats, it was shown that the enhanced histopathological tests were useful to evaluate potential risks to the immune system.

Newly designed continuous corneal irrigation system for chemical burns

A newly designed continuous irrigation system has been applied in our clinic. Six cases of corneal chemical burns have been treated with this system from September 1988 to February 1989. The present system has been available in any clinics by materials such as a disposable intravenous tube and a scalp vein tube for infants. Compared with the methods previously reported, this system showed good results, simplicity for setting up, good patient tolerance and low cost of the equipment.

Common fragile sites in chromosomes of bone marrow cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes from healthy persons and leukemia patients

Frequency and distribution of aphidicolin-induced fragile sites (c-fra) on chromosomes of both peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and bone marrow (BM) from 15 leukemia patients were studied in comparison with 22 PBL and six BM samples from healthy volunteers. In normal controls, the most frequent c-fra was 3p14 in PBL, but it was 4q21-25 in BM. The second most frequent site was 16q23 in PBL, but it was 7q11.2 in BM. These differences in fragile sites between PBL and BM may be related to distinct functions of cells in different tissues. The total number of breaks in PBL and BM showed a significant difference among individuals, but the sites were generally common. The frequency of breaks in PBL from leukemia patients was higher than in controls when the leukemic cells had any karyotypic abnormalities. In leukemia without karyotypic abnormalities and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with (15:17), the frequency of breaks fell within normal or slightly above normal ranges. Breaks at 3p14 (22.0% of total breaks), 16q23 (7.3%), 7q32 (4.3%), Xp22 (3.7%), and 6q26 (2.9%) were frequent in PBL from seven AML patients. Breaks at 4q21-25 (2.1%), 7q22 (2.2%), 7q32, and Xp22 were more frequently induced than in controls, and 1p32 (0.1%), 3p14, 6q26, and 16q23 were less often expressed than in controls. On the other hand, PBL from acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients showed a higher frequency of breaks only at 1p22 (3.4%) and the frequency of breaks at 3p14 (30.2%) decreased (p less than 0.05). The PBL from AML patients with t(8;21) (q22;q22) showed breaks at 8q22 and 8q24, and the frequencies were significantly higher than those of other types of leukemia or in controls (p less than 0.001). The results of this study suggest that fragility of chromosomes may be related to the chromosomal rearrangement in or predisposition to leukemia.

Hatomamicin (YL-0358M-A), a new alkaloid antibiotic: fermentation, isolation, structure, and biological properties

Hatomamicin, a new alkaloid antibiotic, was isolated from the culture filtrate of a strain of Saccharopolyspora. The antibiotic was extracted with EtOAc and purified by silica gel column chromatography. The free alkaloid was obtained as pale yellowish prisms from CH3CN solution. It exhibits antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive organisms. The apparent molecular formula of hatomamicin was determined to be C22H31NO5. The structure has been established by a combination of spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic studies.

Determination of proliferative fractions detected by immunohistochemistry with the monoclonal antibodies to bromodeoxyuridine and Ki-67 in malignant lymphomas

The stainability of proliferating cells with monoclonal antibodies to both bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and Ki-67 were compared in 22 malignant lymphomas and six related conditions. A significant correlation was observed (r = 0.78) between the positivities of proliferating cells determined using these two monoclonal antibodies. The growth fractions determined with the antibodies were usually related to the histologic classification, but labelling index was more varied in diffuse large cell type lymphoma. BrdU labelling was well correlated with the Working Formulation, and more useful as a prognostic indicator. On the other hand, Ki-67 was useful for broad recognition of cell proliferative ability.

Enhancement of immunoglobulin G responses in mice against hepatitis B virus surface antigen, influenza virus hemagglutinin vaccine, and tetanus toxoid by 6-O-acylated muramyl dipeptides

The adjuvant activity of chemically synthesized 6-O-acylated muramyl dipeptides (MDP) was tested in aqueous form. The activity was assessed by determining immunoglobulin G (IgG) titers in sera of mice immunized with hepatitis B virus surface antigen, influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) vaccine, or tetanus toxoid with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Administration of 6-O-acyl-MDP analogs with antigens induced marked enhancement of primary and secondary IgG antibody responses and maintained high antibody levels for at least 7 weeks. Among the analogs tested, an MDP methyl ester carrying a 6-O-3-hexadecanoyl-oxytetradecanoyl group (compound 309) exhibited the most intensive adjuvant activity. Its activity was stronger than that of 6-O-2-tetradecylhexadecanoyl (B3O)-MDP used as a positive control. However, accumulation of peritoneal cells and activation of peritoneal macrophages by compound 309 was weaker than that by 6-O-B30-MDP, suggesting that 309 as an immunoadjuvant is more suitable for vaccination in terms of its stronger enhancement of antibody formation and lower induction of inflammatory response than 6-O-B30-MDP.

[Study of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in the epidermis of psoriasis vulgaris]

By immunohistochemical methods, we detected CEA in the epidermis of psoriatic skin in 10 out of 20 cases with the plaque type of psoriasis vulgaris. The CEA detected in the psoriatic skin was limited in area to the intra-squamous cell cytoplasm, cell membranes, and intercellular space just beneath the markedly parakeratotic layer. It was not found in the orthokeratotic layer. At the same time, serum CEA value was measured in 7 cases. No increased CEA value was found in any case with or without positive CEA in the epidermis. The origin of CEA in the psoriatic skin might be: 1) squamous cell just below the rapidly proliferating parakeratotic cells. 2) CEA contained in eccrine sweat and deposited by dishidotic procedure. It can not involve permeation of CEA in serum into the epidermis. Of the 1) and 2) theories we prefer the first, but further study is needed. This is the first report of the existence of CEA in the psoriatic epidermis.

Immunopharmacological activities of 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonic acid-(alpha 2----6)-linked 4-O-phosphono-D-glucosamine derivatives carrying N- and 3-O-acyl substituents

The immunopharmacological activities of 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonic acid (KDO)-(alpha 2----6)-linked lipid A-subunit analogs, 4-O-phosphono-D-glucosamine derivatives carrying N- and 3-O-acyl substituents, were compared with those of the corresponding analogs without KDO, GLA-27, GLA-47, and GLA-60. Among the analogs tested, GLA-60, a 4-O-phosphono-D-glucosamine carrying N-3-hydroxytetradecanoyl and 3-O-3-tetradecanoyloxytetradecanoyl groups, exhibited the most intensive activities in terms of mitogenicity, adjuvanticity, and mediator (tumor necrosis factor and colony-stimulating factor) induction. Binding (alpha 2----6) of KDO to GLA-60 failed to enhance the activities. Similarly, the activities of GLA-27 and GLA-47 were also decreased by introduction of KDO to the O-6 of the analogs. This indicates that the strengths of the activities of the subunit analogs depend on the kinds of N- and 3-O-linked acyl substituents and not on the presence of the KDO linked to the O-6.

Establishment of a feline T-lymphoblastoid cell line highly sensitive for replication of feline immunodeficiency virus

Interleukin-2 dependent feline T-lymphoblastoid cells designated as MYA-1 cells were established. The cells were free from exogenous retroviruses and sensitive for replication of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). FIV can grow more efficiently in MYA-1 cells than in feline primary peripheral blood mononuclear cells. This line of cells will be useful not only for isolation and propagation of FIV, but also for further investigation of properties of FIV.

Expression of fragile site 8q22 in peripheral blood lymphocytes taken from patients with acute leukemia M2 having t(8;21)(q22;q22)

The relation between the expression of common fragile sites and chromosomal breakpoints in neoplastic cells in the same patients has not been well studied. In the present study, the frequency and distribution of aphidicolin-induced breaks on chromosomes 8 and 21 in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) taken from three patients with acute myeloid leukemia, French-American-British classification type M2, having chromosomal translocation t(8;21)(q22;q22) (M2t) were studied prior to any initial treatment. Seven patients with other types of acute leukemia without t(8;21) and 13 healthy people were also studied. In PBL from patients with M2t, the numbers of chromosomal breaks were 1, 7 and 3/216 metaphasees at bands 8q21, 8q22 and 8q24, respectively; the frequencies at 8q22 and 8q24 being significantly higher than those for patients with the other leukemias and for the healthy subjects (p less than 0.001 and p less than 0.01, respectively). These results suggest that the fragility on chromosome 8q21-24 is related to a predisposition to this particular type of leukemia.

Preliminary comparisons of the biological properties of two strains of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) isolated in Japan with FIV Petaluma strain isolated in the United States

Two strains of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) were isolated directly from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of Japanese domestic cats or indirectly from PBMCs of specific pathogen free (SPF) cats inoculated with whole blood from naturally infected cats with FIV by cocultivation with primary PBMCs from SPF cats. Two isolates, designated as FIV TM 1 and FIV TM 2, had a lentivirus-like morphology by electron microscopy, a tropism for interleukin-2 dependent T-lymphocytes and Mg2+-dependent reverse transcriptase activity. By immunoblotting the isolates gave bands at 130, 48, 44, 40, 28, 17, and 13 kDa, and these bands except 130 kDa were detected in FIV Petaluma strain when reacted with the plasma of cats infected naturally with FIV TM 1 strain.

Immunostimulatory activity of 1-O-acylated muramyl dipeptides, with or without a 6-O-phosphoryl group, in aqueous form

Immunostimulatory effects of 1-O-acylated derivatives of N-acetyl-muramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine (MDP) methyl ester, with or without the 6-O-phosphoryl group, on augmentation of IgG antibody response against influenza hemagglutinin (HA) vaccine, in vivo macrophage activation and enhancement of non-specific host resistance against Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection were investigated. The activities were tested intraperitoneally (i.p.) in mice administered test samples solubilized or suspended in saline. The introduction of longer chain acyl groups into MDP methyl esters significantly induced enhancement of the IgG antibody response. Among them, the adjuvant activity of 1-O-linked 2-tetradecylhexadecanoyl (B30)-MDP methyl ester was comparable to that of 6-O-B30-MDP used as a positive control. Phosphorylation at the C6 position of the acylated MDP analogs did not induce a significant increment in the activity. With respect to phagocytic, cellular acid phosphatase and cytostasis-inducing activities, i.p. administration of acylated MDP analogs caused significant increment and activation of peritoneal macrophages. The cytostasis-inducing activity of 1-O-octadecanoyl- or 1-O-B30-MDP methyl ester with or without a phosphoryl group was more intensive than that of 6-O-B30-MDP. Acylated MDP analogs enhanced non-specific resistance against P. aeruginosa infection when the analogs were administered i.p. on the day before the infection. The enhancement was closely related to the accumulation of polymorphonuclear cells in the peritoneal cavity. The manifestation of these immunostimulatory activities by 1-O-acylated MDP analogs depended closely on the increasing carbon chain length of fatty acid substituents when administered in aqueous form.

Chromosome fragility of lymphocytes from breast cancer patients in relation to epidemiologic data

The chromosomal fragility of peripheral blood lymphocytes from 50 women, undergoing operations for breast tumors (47 carcinomas, 2 intraductal papillomatoses and 1 malignant lymphoma) was studied to ascertain the association between chromosome fragility and epidemiologic data, such as a family or personal history of cancer, hormonal status, etc. Under conditions of folic acid and thymidine depletion, the average number of gaps and breaks on the patients' lymphocyte chromosome was 6.02 +/- 5.28 and that in the control medium was 2.0 +/- 2.0 while those of healthy controls were 5.8 +/- 5.5 and 1.36 +/- 1.22. These gaps and breaks were mostly seen in group A chromosomes (4.1 +/- 2.6) in 24 patients, including the 2 with benign tumors and the 1 with the lymphoma as well as 11 healthy controls. They were frequent in group B (3.0 +/- 0) in 3 patients, in group C (4.3 +/- 2.9) in 11 patients, and in groups D (2.0 +/- 1.0) and E (3.0 +/- 1.0) in 3 patients from each. This different distribution of gaps and breaks correlated neither with the patients' age nor with their tumor's histology, but patients having a late menarche were distributed in non-A groups. There was low inducibility of breaks in patients with a family history of breast cancer and/or relatively rare cancers. The availability of common fragile sites for studying an individual's susceptibility to cancer is discussed. One patient showed a bromodeoxyuridine-requiring heritable 10q25 fragile site. Another, with triple primary cancers, showed a constitutional translocation of t(5;19)(q15;q13).

NAD(P)H-dependent 6'-deoxychalcone synthase activity in Glycyrrhiza echinata cells induced by yeast extract

The crude extract prepared from Glycyrrhiza echinata cells treated with yeast extract catalyzed the formation of liquiritigenin (5-deoxyflavanone) and isoliquiritigenin (6'-deoxychalcone) in addition to naringenin (5-hydroxyflavanone) when incubated with 4-coumaroyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA in the presence of high concentrations (0.1 mM or higher) of NADPH. Incubation without NADPH, or with low concentrations (0.01 mM or lower), gave only naringenin as a reaction product. With NADH (1 mM), the major product was naringenin accompanied by a small quantity of liquiritigenin. The initial product of the assay with 1 mM NADPH was isoliquiritigenin, indicating a reaction catalyzed by 6'-deoxychalcone synthase (DOCS). Subsequent formation of liquiritigenin was attributed to the presence of chalcone isomerase in the crude extract. The results constitute the first demonstration in vitro of DOCS activity which, in G. echinata cells and other leguminous plants, is involved in the biosynthesis of retrochalcone and 5-deoxyisoflavonoid-derived phytoalexins.

Importance of fatty acid substituents of chemically synthesized lipid A-subunit analogs in the expression of immunopharmacological activity

The immunopharmacological activities of chemically synthesized lipid A-subunit analogs, 4-O-phosphono-D-glucosamine derivatives carrying different N- and 3-O-linked acyl groups, were investigated. None of the synthetic compounds tested exhibited any detectable pyrogenicity at a dose of 10 micrograms/kg. Weaker lethal toxicity in galactosamine-sensitized mice was detected at 1 microgram per mouse for all the synthetic compounds except GLA-58. Among (RS) stereoisomers of 4-O-phosphono-D-glucosamine derivatives carrying a 3-O-tetradecanoyl (C14) group with different N-linked acyloxyacyl groups, i.e., 3-dodecanoyloxytetradecanoyl [C14-O-(C12)], 3-tetradecanoyloxytetradecanoyl [C14-O-(C14)], and 3-hexadecanoyloxytetradecanoyl [C14-O-(C16)] groups (termed GLA-57, GLA-27, and GLA-58, respectively), GLA-27 exhibited significant colony-stimulating factor-inducing and tumor necrosis factor-inducing activities, mitogenicity, polyclonal B-cell activation activity, macrophage activation, and adjuvanticity. The activities of GLA-57, which had an N-linked C14-O-(C12) group, were equivalent to or somewhat weaker than those of GLA-27 with a C14-O-(C14) group. Significant immunopharmacological activities were not observed for GLA-58, carrying a C14-O-(C16) group bound to the amino group. GLA-59, carrying 3-O-linked 3-hydroxytetradecanoyl (C14OH) and N-linked C14-O-(C14) groups, showed much higher activities than GLA-27, GLA-60, a compound which possesses the same fatty acid substituents as GLA-59 but with reversed binding sites, showed the strongest B-cell activation and adjuvant activities among the synthetic compounds. Among stereoisomers of GLA-59 and GLA-60 composed of fatty acid substituents with the (RR) and (SS) configuration, compounds with the (RR) configuration elicited stronger activities than the (SS) stereoisomers. The importance of fatty acid substituents, including stereospecificity for the expression of immunopharmacological activities of 4-O-phosphono-D-glucosamine derivatives, was demonstrated.