Ultraviolet-B irradiation alters cytokine production by immune lymphocytes in herpes simplex virus-infected mice

Previous studies from our laboratories have shown that UV-B irradiation at the site of an intradermal infection of herpes simplex virus (HSV) resulted in a higher incidence of zosteriform lesions and suppressed cellular immune responses to HSV in mice. In order to determine whether the production of T-cell-derived cytokine (IFN-gamma, IL-2 and IL-4) by immune cells from irradiated mice is also suppressed, we examined the production of cytokines by lymph node cells and spleen cells taken from UV-B irradiated, HSV type 1 (HSV-1)-infected mice. UV-B irradiation (120 mJ/cm2) prior to HSV-1 infection was found to markedly suppress IFN-gamma production compared to that of the non-irradiated control. IL-4 production was enhanced compared to IL-2 in the UV-B irradiated mice. These results suggest that alteration(s) in the cytokine production profile may therefore be involved in the development of severe skin lesions caused by HSV infection in UV-B irradiated mice.

Induction of N-methyl-D-asparate receptor mediated c-fos protein in the rat brain by incomplete ischaemia

The expression of c-fos protein was examined by means of immunocytochemistry in the rat brain following incomplete ischaemia, to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of post-ischaemic neuronal death and of the modulated neurotransmission of surviving neurons. Incomplete ischaemia was produced by permanent unilateral or bilateral common carotid artery (CCA) occlusion. After 1 h of unilateral occlusion, the level of c-fos protein-like nuclear immunoreactivity increased in cortical neurons ipsilateral to the insult, especially in cingulate and piriform cortices. The reactivity peaked at 3-6 h, and was undetectable after 3 days. A number of scattered immunostained neurons in the ipsilateral subiculum, CA 1 and dentate gyrus became visible after 1 day. The effect reached a peak between 1-3 days, then returned to basal levels by 7 days. Bilateral CCA occlusion showed a similar distribution of immunoreactivity, but on both hemispheres. Immunoreactive neurons were more numerous and intensely stained but more transient. The induction of c-fos was completely blocked or reduced by treatment with MK-801. Our results suggest that c-fos expression after CCA occlusion is NMDA receptor mediated, and that it has a specific role in neurons after ischaemic insult.

The localization of lipopolysaccharide in an endotoxemic rat liver and its relation to sinusoidal thrombogenesis: light and electron microscopic studies

The distribution of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and sequential thrombus formation in the liver was investigated by immunohistochemical and cytochemical techniques in endotoxemic rats, using horseshoe crab factor C, a specific ligand for biologically active LPS, a monoclonal antibody against it, and rabbit anti-rat fibrinogen IgG. One hour after the intravenous administration of LPS (5 mg/kg), LPS was localized in the secondary lysosomes of Kupffer cells and in the vesicles of endothelial cells, mainly at the peripheries of the hepatic lobules. Small necrotic foci of hepatic tissue were scattered close to the LPS-containing Kupffer cells, and were frequently associated with infiltration of neutrophils and deposition of fibrin. Three hours after the administration of LPS, the immunohistochemical reaction of LPS became stronger and was mostly confined to Kupffer cells. Strands of polymerized fibrin were frequently observed on both the surface of the LPS-containing Kupffer cells and on endothelial cells. These findings suggest that the activation of the coagulation cascade in plasma is first initiated, even though only transiently, by hepatic necrosis which is probably caused by LPS-activated leukocytes, and then by the procoagulant activity expressed on the surface of both Kupffer cells and endothelial cells. Fibrinogen-related antigens were also immuno-ultrastructurally detected in the lysosomes of Kupffer cells three hours after the injection of LPS, which suggested that the Kupffer cells phagocytozed and degraded fibrin. Therefore Kupffer cells in endotoxemia may closely participate in both the sinusoidal thrombogenesis and degradation of fibrin.

Repeated application of anodal direct current produces regional dominance in histamine-elicited cyclic AMP accumulation in rabbit cerebral cortex

A unilateral 30-min application of anodal direct current to the promotor cortex of rabbits was repeated 10 times, and cyclic AMP accumulation in response to histamine was investigated in slices of different cortical areas. Polarization with 1.0 microA decreased the cyclic AMP accumulation in the cortical area contralateral to the polarization, by which regional dominance in cyclic AMP accumulation was produced in the polarized cortex. In contrast, the regional difference in cyclic AMP accumulation was reversed when 10.0 or 30.0 microA was applied. The histamine-elicited accumulation of cyclic AMP was almost completely inhibited by the selective H2-receptor antagonist cimetidine. These results suggest that repeated anodal polarization regionally alters H2-receptor-mediated cyclic AMP generation in the cortex depending on the intensity of the polarizing currents and this pattern of cyclic AMP accumulation is responsible for the characteristic motor behavior induced by anodal polarization.

Anodal polarization induces protein kinase C gamma (PKC gamma)-like immunoreactivity in the rat cerebral cortex

Protein kinase C gamma (PKC gamma)-like immunoreactivity was examined in the rat brain, employing the monoclonal antibody 36G9 raised against purified PKC gamma, after an application of weak anodal direct current to the surface of the sensorimotor cortex. Anodal polarization with 3.0 microA for 30 min resulted in a pronounced increase in the number of PKC gamma-like-positive neurons in accordance with the intensity of PKC gamma-like immunostaining in the neocortex, cingulate cortex and piriform cortex ipsilateral to the polarization. The number of PKC gamma-like-positive neurons began to increase at 1 h after polarization, peaked at 3 h, and thereafter decreased to the control levels by 72 h. The increase in expression of PKC gamma-like immunoreactivity in specific areas of the cerebral cortex is suggested to serve as a basis for the long-lasting hyperexcitability in situ following anodal polarization.

Hyperthermic isolated limb perfusion with intra-arterial administration of carboplatin and/or interferon-beta for the treatment of malignant melanoma of the leg

Our experiences of hyperthermic isolated limb perfusion with administration of carboplatin, interferon-beta or a combination of both are reported. Administration of high doses of these reagents was well tolerated by patients with melanoma without severe complications after the treatment. A total of 8 patients underwent this therapeutic modality. Remarkable clinical improvement was seen in the first patient, who was in Stage III at the time of the perfusion. Histopathological findings indicated severe damage to the melanoma cells after the operation. Prophylactic hyperthermic perfusion was performed in 6 other patients with Stage II-III melanoma of the lower limb. None of them have shown any signs of recurrence 1-10 months later. The activities of natural killer cells or T lymphocytes appeared to be increased when the perfusion was carried out with concomitant administration of both carboplatin and interferon-beta. These results suggest that hyperthermic isolated limb perfusion with carboplatin and/or interferon beta administration is effective in patients with advanced stage melanoma.

Clinical and immunohistochemical studies of skin eruptions: relationship to administration of interferon-alpha

We observed transient, erythematous skin eruptions in 6 patients during the intravenous administration of interferon (INF)-alpha for chronic active hepatitis C. The eruptions appeared 5 to 14 days (mean: 6.8 days) after initiating its administration. They were localized or disseminated and consisted of edematous, erythematous, and/or papular changes. Vesicles and petechiae also appeared in some cases. The eruptions disappeared in 10 to 14 days, despite the continuance of INF-alpha and without specific treatment. Histological examination obtained from skin eruptions revealed perivascular infiltration of lymphoid cells, the majority which were CD4-positive, of the upper dermis. Edematous changes were present in the papillary dermis. Vascular endothelial cells in the upper dermis expressed both intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule-1 (ELAM-1), while the epidermal keratinocytes produced neither. These findings suggested a nonallergic mechanism for such eruptions.

Mite-antigen-stimulated cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells of atopic dermatitis patients with positive mite patch tests

To investigate possible involvement of Th1-type immunoreaction in the development of skin lesions of atopic dermatitis (AD), we measured mite-antigen-stimulated production of IL-2, IL-4 and IFN-gamma, using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) obtained from 23 patients with AD who developed positive patch test reactions to house dust mite antigens extracted from Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp). Incubation of these PBMC with the Dp antigen for 72 h produced marked secretion of IL-2 and IFN-gamma, but not IL-4, indicating that Dp-specific T cells were found in these patients' circulating peripheral blood and were capable of producing IL-2 and IFN-gamma, known as major mediators of the delayed-type allergic reaction. Our study suggests that Th1-type cells may be involved in the development of skin lesions of AD patients with positive patch test reactions to house dust mite antigen.

Malignant schwannoma in a case of type 1 neurofibromatosis with decreased immunoreactivity of smooth muscle alpha-actin in tumor vessels

A malignant schwannoma in the left calf of a 37-year-old man with type 1 neurofibromatosis is herein reported. Since it is known that capillaries in benign neurofibromas are accompanied by hypertrophic pericytes expressing an abundant amount of smooth muscle alpha-actin (SMAA), we examined the immunohistochemical reactivity of SMAA within this malignant tumor and then compared it with that in surrounding benign areas. In the nests of malignant cells, decreased SMAA staining was found in the capillary walls. In the benign tissues around the malignant tumor, various extents of SMAA could be visualized in the vessels and myofibroblasts. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) was also detected in the tumor, suggesting that cytokines secreted by malignant cells may have an influence on the expression of SMAA as well as on the alteration of the structure of blood vessels.

The effects of zinc oxide and diethyldithiocarbamate on the mitotic index of epidermal basal cells of mouse skin

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of topical treatment with zinc oxide (2.5%, 10%, 25% and 50%) and intraperitoneal treatment with diethyldithiocarbamate (DEDTC) (50 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg and 1,000 mg/kg) on the mitotic index of epidermal basal cells in incised and non-incised mouse skin. The present results showed that topical application of zinc oxide (25% and 50%) increased the mitotic index of epidermal basal cells in incised skin and non-incised skin. Conversely, intraperitoneal administration of DEDTC (500 mg/kg and 1,000 mg/kg) decreased the mitotic index, but only in the incised skin. These results suggest that mitosis of epidermal basal cells may be stimulated by the topical application of zinc oxide both in incised and non-incised mouse skin, and that it also may be inhibited by the intraperitoneal administration of DEDTC in incised mouse skin.

Different sensitivities of the murine melanomas BL-6 and BL-6-beta m to local injections of interleukin-2 (IL-2). Analysis of gangliosides after the treatment

The murine melanoma cell line BL-6-beta m, which is a stable cell line transfected with a gene coding a unique actin subspecies called beta m to the BL-6 cell line, has low metastatic potentials as compared with those of the parent cell line. BL-6-beta m melanomas were found to be sensitive to in vivo local injection of IL-2, while BL-6 melanomas showed almost no response. Ganglioside analysis of BL-6 and BL-6-beta melanomas revealed that the main ganglioside of both melanomas was GM3, which suggested that different sensitivities between BL-6 and BL-6-beta m melanomas to the injection of IL-2 did not relate to the different compositions of main gangliosides. However, minor components of the gangliosides such as GM2 and GM1 emerged only in BL-6-beta m melanomas after treatment with IL-2. Local injection of IL-2 caused considerable infiltration of anti-asialo GM1-positive cells into the nests as well as the interstitials of BL-6-beta m melanomas. In contrast, in the BL-6 melanomas treated with IL-2, infiltration of the anti-asialo GM1-positive cells was hardly seen, although anti-Thy1,2 and anti-macrophage-positive cells were found to more or less the same extent as observed in BL-6-beta m melanomas. These results suggest that the murine metastatic variant melanoma cell lines BL-6 and BL-6-beta m have different properties in terms of sensitivity to in vivo IL-2 treatment, and a slight enhancement of the ganglioside components GM2 and GM1 expression only in BL-6-beta m after IL-2 treatment may play a role in the IL-2-mediated attraction of immune cells or may explain the different sensitivities of the two lines to treatment with IL-2.

Action of FR901228, a novel antitumor bicyclic depsipeptide produced by Chromobacterium violaceum no. 968, on Ha-ras transformed NIH3T3 cells

FR901228, a novel antitumor antibiotic, reversed the transformed morphology of the Ha-ras transformants, Ras-1 cells, and inhibited their growth. The reduction of c-myc expression was observed in FR901228-treated Ras-1 cells by RNA dot-blot hybridization. This reduction of c-myc expression and morphological reversion of the transformed cells to normal were correlated with growth inhibition (G0/G1 arrest in cell cycle).

Reduced secretion of IgA to skin surface of patients with atopic dermatitis

To investigate whether the secretory form of immunoglobulin A (sIgA) was reduced on the skin surface in atopic dermatitis, the amount of sIgA present in sweat was measured in 40 patients with atopic dermatitis and in 50 healthy volunteers by attaching a cellulose membrane disk (10 x 10 mm) to the inner aspect of the upper arm skin for 24 hours. The secretory form of IgA, which was absorbed to the membrane and accumulated during the period of application, was revealed as dots by an enzyme immunoassay in which antibodies for IgA and for the secretory component were used. The density and number of dots (per mm2/day), which corresponded to the openings of eccrine excretory ducts, were determined with a densitometer. The mean amount of sIgA secreted by those patients was 3.86 +/- 0.71 pg/mm2/day (range, 0 to 21.17 pg/mm2/day), whereas that of the control subjects was significantly higher (p < 0.001), 16.79 +/- 2.80 pg/mm2/day (range, 0.79 to 133.77 pg/mm2/day). This may be related to the high incidence of bacterial and viral skin infections seen in patients with atopic dermatitis, and in addition, to the development of eczematous lesions through a defect in ridding the skin of allergens and/or microorganisms.

Expression of the fos oncogene in basal cell carcinoma

Using immunohistochemical technique and Western blot analysis, we demonstrated the increased expression of the c-fos oncogene in the infiltrative type of solid basal cell carcinoma (BCC), but low or no expression in the circumscribed type of solid BCC. The infiltrative type is called aggressive BCC and had been shown to exhibit a higher rate of recurrence than the circumscribed type. Our results indicate that increased expression of the fos oncogene is closely related to the invasive ability of the tumor cells.

Developmental alterations in NMDA receptor-mediated [Ca2+]i elevation in substantia gelatinosa neurons of neonatal rat spinal cord

Using spinal cord slices prepared from neonatal rats, the intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in neurons located in the dorsal horn substantia gelatinosa (SG) was measured with microscopic fluorometry by loading fura 2-AM into neurons. Developmental alterations in the elevation of [Ca2+]i elicited by the glutamate analogs, NMDA and AMPA, were investigated from postnatal day (PNDs) 1 to 17. During the 1st week of postnatal life, when neuronal maturation of the SG is known to take place, the NMDA response remained large or even slightly increased. It subsequently showed a gradual decline. This pattern of postnatal changes is consistent with previously reported autoradiographic studies on NMDA-binding sites. The affinity of receptors for NMDA was found to decrease constantly during the period examined. The AMPA response and resting [Ca2+]i showed no significant developmental changes. Neonatal treatment with capsaicin, which has been shown to degenerate fine primary afferent fibers terminating in the SG, delayed the developmental decline in the NMDA-induced [Ca2+]i response. It is suggested that the number and the molecular properties of NMDA receptors expressed in the SG change during early postnatal neuronal maturation. The temporal coincidence between postnatal alteration in NMDA-induced [Ca2+]i elevation and neuronal maturation of the SG may indicate that intracellular Ca2+ regulated by NMDA receptor activation is related to postnatal neuronal maturation. Activation of fine primary afferent fibers may contribute to the observed developmental alterations in the NMDA response of SG neurons.

[Stability studies on L-ascorbic acid dl-alpha-tocopherol phosphoric acid diester potassium salt (EPC-K)]

A compound having structures of both vitamins E and C, L-ascorbic acid dl-alpha-tocopherol phosphoric acid diester potassium salt (EPC-K), which was proven to have both anti-oxidative3%!d moisturizing effects, has been formulated in the quasi drug hair growing products to mainly prevent dandruff and itching which may be one of the causes for the hair loss. Stabilities of EPC-K in 75% ethanolic solutions with various pHs (2-10) were examined extensively by storing them at 50 degrees C for 30 d and by sunlight exposure for 30 d. Decomposition of EPC-K was only observed under pH 2 at a level of 50% and under sunlight exposure at 25% level. A main decomposition product was identified as tocopheryl phosphate (EP), suggesting that a decomposition route was through hydrolysis. EPC-K was found to decompose by as much as 20% under 30 d storage at 50 degrees C when the concentration of the aqueous ethanolic solution was 0-30%. 1H, 13C and 31P-NMR studies in addition to a micelle formation test using pyrene fluorescent probe revealed that EPC-K formed a micelle at such low concentration of ethanol, which was assumed to be a cause for unstableness of EPC-K in that range. Hydrolytic decomposition of EPC-K was found by the reaction rate study to be a pseudo first order reaction with activation energy of 16.98 kcal/mol.