Central signals of gallstones in magnetic resonance imaging

The magnetic resonance imaging of gallstones was studied in 34 patients. Diagnosis of the gallstones using magnetic resonance imaging was possible in 29 patients (85%). The gallstones showed as no-signal areas in all cases, with relatively strong signals being detected from the center of the stones in six cases. Postoperative studies showed the stones with the central signals to be of the so-called mixed stone type, in which the central area consists of cholesterol with a radiating structure. The central signal was thought to originate in water that accumulates in the central cavity of the stone, the cavity not being isolated from the exterior of the stone and there being a passage of fluids. The central signal is a characteristic indication of the stone's structure.

Gastric plasmacytoma with cylindrical crystalline inclusions

An 81 year-old female case of extramedullary plasmacytoma of the stomach is reported. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells contained IgM-lambda immunoglobulin. Electron micrographs of the tumor cells showed centrally located nuclei with nuclear inclusions and cytoplasm filled with crystalline inclusions in the rough endoplasmic reticulum. IgM-lambda producing gastric plasmacytoma with cylindrical inclusions is rare.

The outcome of idiopathic Bence Jones proteinuria

The authors studied two patients with idiopathic Bence Jones proteinuria (BJP) that fulfill all the criteria proposed by Kyle and Greipp. None had evidence of overt multiple myeloma, of its variants, of primary systemic amyloidosis, or of other lymphoid tumors. In a patient with kappa type idiopathic BJP an elevation of a labelling index was found when an evolving myeloma developed 2 years later. The other had benign lambda type BJP until he died of bronchogenic carcinoma after 14 years. In most of patients with idiopathic BJP overt multiple myeloma or systemic amyloidosis have developed after a long period. An elevation of labelling index in the course of illness is expected to be a premonitory sign for malignant transformation. Idiopathic BJP may be characterized by less nephrotoxicity or amyloidogenicity of Bence Jones protein synthesized as well as a slow growth rate of tumor cells.

Role of intracellular calcium ion in human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cell differentiation

The relationship between calcium ions and the differentiation of human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells was investigated. Proliferation of HL-60 cells incubated in calcium-free medium was inhibited without cell differentiation. On the other hand, incubation with 100 microM verapamil markedly inhibited cell proliferation and caused slight cell differentiation into monocytes. Both calcium-free medium and 100 microM verapamil enhanced HL-60 cell differentiation after treatment with 1 nM 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, 1 nM beta-all-trans-retinoic acid, or 0.75% dimethyl sulfoxide. However, no enhancement was obtained by treatment with 1 nM 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. The free cytosolic calcium concentration was measured by the intracellularly trappable fluorescent calcium indicator, quin 2. The increase of intracellular calcium induced by 250 nM ionomycin was completely blocked by 100 microM verapamil in calcium-free medium, suggesting that the high concentration of verapamil (100 microM) blocks the intracellular calcium mobilization in HL-60 cells. Therefore, the enhancing effect of calcium deprivation or verapamil of HL-60 cell differentiation seemed to be closely related to the inhibition of intracellular calcium mobilization. This speculation is supported by the finding that 50 microM 8-(N,N-diethylamino)octyl-3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate, an intracellular calcium antagonist, also enhanced HL-60 cell differentiation induced by 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, beta-all-trans-retinoic acid, or dimethyl sulfoxide.

Establishment of a novel acute monoblastic leukemia cell line (YK-M2) having a near-triploid karyotype

The YK-M2 cell line was established from the peripheral blood of a patient with acute monoblastic leukemia in whom an anterior mediastinal tumor preceded the peripheral blood manifestation. The established cells grew in a single cell suspension with a doubling time of 60 h and consisted of primitive monoblastic cells. The cells were 52% positive for peroxidase staining and manifested strongly positive activity of alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase, which was completely inhibited by sodium fluoride. The cells showed strong expression of Fc gamma receptors and phagocytosed sensitized ox erythrocytes. When the cells were incubated with 1 alpha,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D3, they were induced to differentiate into mature monocyte-macrophage-like cells, which reduced the nitroblue tetrazolium dye and released a small amount of the superoxide anion. Cytogenetic studies revealed that the cells had a near-triploid karyotype with a modal chromosome number of 68, and the short arm of one No. 17 chromosome was deleted [del(17)(p11)]. The YK-M2 cell line is particularly unique in that the cells retained the polyploid karyotype that may be an initial cytogenetic change in the malignant transformation of the parent leukemia cells.

The association of pyoderma gangrenosum with ulcerative colitis in Japan

A patient with pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) and ulcerative colitis (UC) is described. He had melena and systemic skin lesions. The skin lesions consisted of small discrete ulcers on the back and head and large punched-out ulcers on the legs. He was successfully treated with prednisolone and salazosulfapyridine. He became asymptomatic after two weeks' treatment. Although the association of PG with UC is well documented among Caucasians, it is very rare among Japanese.

Soft-tissue uptake of technetium-99m MDP in multiple myeloma

Abnormal accumulation of Tc-99m MDP in the lungs and stomach was observed in a patient with multiple myeloma and refractory hypercalcemia. There was no roentgenographic evidence of calcification. At postmortem examination, the presence of amyloid deposits was confirmed in both organs, while the corresponding metastatic calcification was demonstrated only in the gastric mucosa. It seems likely that, in our case, soft-tissue localization of bone-seeking agent was attributable to the presence of amyloid deposits rather than metastatic calcification. No cases showing the combined occurrence of amyloid deposition and metastatic calcification in soft-tissues have previously been demonstrated to concentrate bone-seeking agent.

Paradoxical effects of gastrin releasing peptide on gastrin release and gastric secretion in the rat

The effects of gastrin releasing peptide (GRP) on gastrin release and gastric secretion were studied in anesthetized rats. Intravenous infusion of GRP (1-16 micrograms/kg/hr) caused a dose-dependent increase in serum gastrin level, however, it had no effect on basal gastric secretion in the lumen-perfused stomach preparation. Furthermore, GRP inhibited gastric secretion stimulated by pentagastrin or histamine dose-dependently, but not by carbachol. Simultaneous infusion of GRP and a beta adrenergic blocking agent, propranolol, an inhibitor of somatostatin release, did not alter the inhibitory effect of GRP on pentagastrin-stimulated gastric secretion. These results suggest that the inhibitory effect of GRP on gastric secretion in a stimulated condition is mediated via peptide hormones coreleased by GRP, and not via beta-adrenergic pathways.

Portal hemodynamics in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

The protal blood flow was assessed in 46 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, 81 with cirrhosis, and 110 control subjects using an ultrasonic B-mode pulsed Doppler duplex system. The cross-sectional area of the portal vein was increased, and the velocity of portal blood flow was decreased in hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis, whereas the blood flow volume was not significantly different. A significant decrease in portal blood flow was found in hepatocellular carcinoma only when at least three of the four major branches of the portal vein were occluded. The change in portal hemodynamics before and after transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) was investigated. Immediately after TAE, neither portal venous pressure nor portal blood flow showed any constant trend. The portal blood flow reached a peak 1 week after TAE and then returned to its former value after 3-4 weeks, while all cases with poor prognoses showed a drop in portal blood flow after TAE.

Effect of colony-stimulating factor-producing tumor on hemopoiesis in splenectomized mice

The colony-stimulating factor-producing BMA-1 tumor was transplanted into splenectomized mice. These mice showed as much granulocytosis as non-splenectomized mice bearing the tumor. The increase in the number of peripheral leukocytes induced per tumor weight was similar in the two groups. The hemopoietic cell population in the central bone marrow (tibia) was not increased by splenectomy. The total numbers of spleen colony-forming cells and granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming cells in the whole body of tumor-bearing splenectomized mice were 29% and 58% of those in the tumor-bearing non-splenectomized mice, respectively. The expansion of hemopoiesis to the peripheral bone marrow in tumor-bearing splenectomized mice was confirmed by histological examination of the tail bone. These results suggest that the lack of increase in the bone marrow cellularity is due to the space limitation, and that this is well compensated for by a great expansion of hemopoietic marrow to the peripheral bones in splenectomized mice.

The physicochemical properties and the process of pyrogel formation of IgD pyroglobulin

The extremely rare IgD pyroglobulin caused opalescence, lost its antigenicity and acquired more negative charge when heated for 30 min at 56 degrees C. Exposure to 60 degrees C for 60 min produced a firm gel. The thermoprecipitability was abolished by the treatment with guanidine, urea and sodium dodecyl sulfate, but not by 2-mercaptoethanol or neuraminidase, and required the presence of both heavy and light chains. However, amino acid analysis showed abnormalities only in the heavy chain. We hypothesize that the irreversible heat-induced aggregation of IgD pyroglobulin is the result of a conformational change, triggered by light chain, which increases the molecular hydrophobicity.

Nucleolus-associated J chains in myeloma cells

Bone marrow aspirates from 10 patients with multiple myeloma (6 IgG myeloma, 3 IgA myeloma, 1 Bence Jones myeloma) were examined for nucleolus-associated localization of J chains. On light microscopy using the PAP method, almost all or a significant number of myeloma cells exhibited intranuclear spots stained with anti-J chains in 3 (IgG myeloma) out of the 8 cases positive for cytoplasmic J chains. In contrast, the nucleus of myeloma cells examined was constantly negative for anti-heavy and -light chains. Immunoelectron microscopically, J chain was identified as dicrete round electron-dense precipitates, corresponding to the whole nucleolus, and as sparsely distributed, small electron-dense deposits in the nucleus. In addition, some connections were found between nuclear and nucleolar electron-dense precipitates. Several possible explanations have been proposed to account for this localization of J chains.

Effect of teprenone on the content of phospholipids in gastric secretion in man

The phospholipid content of basal and pentagastrin-stimulated gastric secretion was measured in 9 healthy volunteers. One week oral administration of teprenone did not alter the gastric acid and pepsin secretion. The phospholipid content was increased by teprenone. Changes in subclasses of phospholipids in gastric mucus by teprenone treatment, namely, increased phosphatidylcholine and decreased lysophosphatidylcholine, were observed.