Purification and characterization of formaldehyde dehydrogenase from rat liver cytosol

Formaldehyde dehydrogenase was purified to electrophoretic and column chromatographic homogeneity from rat liver cytosolic fraction by a procedure which includes ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-cellulose-, hydroxyapatite-, Mono Q-chromatography, and gel filtration. Its molecular mass was estimated to be 41 kDa by gel filtration and SDS-PAGE, suggesting that it is a monomer. It utilized neither methylglyoxal nor aldehydes except formaldehyde as a substrate. It has been reported that liver class III alcohol dehydrogenase and formaldehyde dehydrogenase are the same enzyme and oxidize formaldehyde and long chain primary alcohols. However, the enzyme examined here did not use n-octanoi as a substrate. The Km values for formaldehyde and NAD+ were 5.09 and 2.34 microM at 25 degrees C, respectively. The amino acid sequences of 10 peptides obtained from the purified enzyme after digestion with either V8 protease or lysyl endopeptidase were determined. From these results, the enzyme was proved to be different from the previously described mammalian formaldehyde dehydrogenase and is the first true formaldehyde dehydrogenase to be isolated from a mammalian source.

Possible role of plasminogen activator inhibitor 2 in the prevention of the metastasis of gastric cancer tissues

The concentrations of urinary type plasminogen activator (u-PA), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), and PAI-2 were measured in gastric cancer tissues and adjacent healthy mucosal tissues. Levels of u-PA, PAI-1 and PAI-2 were higher in cancer than in control tissues. PAI-1 levels were higher together with the progression of cancer however there were no differences in u-PA or PAI-2 levels. Tumors with higher PAI-1 and lower PAI-2 levels tend to metastasize to remote lymph nodes. When the numbers of involved lymph nodes were analyzed, tumors with the large number of metastatic lymph nodes showed higher PAI-1 and lower PAI-2 level. No difference was shown in u-PA levels among these groups. These tendencies were more significant in patients with progressed gastric cancer. These results suggest that tumor with higher PAI-2 levels tend to localize or have less tendency to metastasize to lymph nodes. On the other hand PAI-1 was generally higher in tumor with invasion into nearby tissue or with nodal metastasis.

[Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy with cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, vindesine in head and neck cancer]

Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy with CDDP combination was introduced into the treatment of advanced head and neck cancer. Twenty-three patients with s.c.c of head and neck were given combination chemotherapy consisting of CDDP, VDS and 5-FU before surgical treatment in our department. CR and PR of this trial in all patients were 4 and 35%, respectively. The WBC nadir occurred around 2 weeks later, but all the patients recovered prior to the next cycle or surgical treatment. Renal dysfunction, nausea, vomiting and depilation were generally mild. VDS is useful as one of the neo-adjuvant drugs for the treatment of head and neck cancer. Long-term observation in connection with this treatment is required.

Changes in the markers related to collagen synthesis in the liver of chronically alcohol treated rats

In order to clarify the roles of Ito cells in the development of alcoholic fibrosis, markers related to collagen synthesis in the liver were analyzed in chronically alcohol treated rats. The livers were obtained from rats fed a diet containing alcohol (alcohol group) and those fed a control diet (control group) for 4 weeks. Prolyl hydroxylase (PH) activity in the whole liver tissue did not differ in the alcohol and control groups. However, the activity in the isolated Ito cells was significantly higher in the alcohol group than in the control group. Immunoreactive PH beta-subunit contents in the liver and serum were significantly higher in the alcohol group than in the control group. Hydroxyproline contents in the liver did not differ in either groups. Immunohistochemically, type IV collagen and laminin were clearly stained along with the sinusoid in the livers of the alcohol group. However, the staining reactions were very weak in the control group. Staining reactions to types I and III collagen were very weak or almost absent in the livers of both groups. Desmin-positive cells, along with the sinusoid, increased significantly in the alcohol group, especially at the centrilobular area, suggesting that the number of Ito cell increase in the centrilobular areas of the alcohol treated rats. These results suggest that type IV collagen and laminin synthesis increase in the Ito cells of chronically alcohol treated rats, although clear evidence of hepatic fibrosis was not obtained. This increase may be related to capillarization of the sinusoids and finally to the development of perisinusoidal fibrosis in alcoholics.

[Inhibition of serotonin-induced platelet aggregation by endothelins]

Endothelins are a family of three peptides that act as local hormones in all mammalian species. They were found to inhibit rabbit and dog platelet aggregation in vivo, whereas no effect was observed in vitro. In order to investigate the possible interaction between endothelins and human platelet serotonergic receptors, their effect on the platelet aggregation, induced by serotonin, was studied. Endothelin-1, -2 and -3 had a dual action for platelet aggregation induced by serotonin. When added simultaneously to serotonin endothelins aggregatory response to this amine was potentiated. On the contrary, preincubation of platelet suspension with endothelins resulted in a concentration-dependent inhibition of serotonin-promoted platelet response. Moreover, endothelin-1 inhibited serotonergic amplification of epinephrine-induced aggregation of platelets. It is proposed that endothelins bind to the platelet membrane and interact with serotonergic receptors and/or G proteins. The diverse effect of eodothelins on serotonin-induced aggregation of platelets may be due to stimulation of protein kinase C.

Plasminogen activator system in human breast cancer

We measured antigen levels of 2 kinds of plasminogen activator, tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (UK), as well as those of their primary inhibitors, type-I plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) and type-2 plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-2), in tissue extracts from benign and malignant breast tumors. Tumor tissue samples from 40 fibroadenomas and 40 breast cancers were examined. t-PA antigen levels were the same in the 2 groups. Malignant tumors contained higher levels of UK antigen than did benign tumors. In the case of breast cancer, UK antigen levels of tumors with axillary lymph-node involvement were significantly higher than those of tumors without lymph-node involvement. PAI-1 and PAI-2 antigen levels of breast-cancer tissue samples were higher than those of fibroadenoma samples. PAI-1 antigen levels of carcinomas with lymph-node involvement were also significantly higher than those of carcinomas without node involvement. PAI-2 antigen levels, on the contrary, were higher in carcinomas without node involvement. UK, PAI-1 and PAI-2 antigen levels are potentially excellent independent factors for prediction of the metastatic potential of breast cancers.

Clinical backgrounds of the patients having different types of hepatitis C virus genomes

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genomes were recently detected in biological materials, and variations of nucleotide sequences were reported. In the present study, typing of the HCV genomes was performed in 91 HCV-RNA-positive patients and the clinical features of patients with different types of HCV were compared. From the nucleotide sequences of the cDNA fragments, HCV can be divided into at least two types: HCV-K1-PT and HCV-K2. All cDNAs amplified from 91 patients were hybridized with cDNA probes of either HCV-K1-PT or HCV-K2. HCV-K1-PT was found in about 80% of the patients, and HCV-K2 was found in about 20% of the patients. These results indicate that types of HCV are limited to two types, i.e., K1-PT and K2, and the major type is HCV-K1-PT, at least in Japan. Detection rate of antibodies to C-100-3 protein were not different between the patients having HCV-K1-PT and HCV-K2, indicating that the antibodies may develop in HCV-related patients without relation to the types of the HCV genomes. Prevalence of the two types of HCV were nearly the same in various forms of NANB-related liver disease. However, the prevalence was somewhat different in alcoholic liver disease. HCV-K2 was found in patients younger than the patients with HCV-K1-PT. Frequency of a history of blood transfusion tended to be lower and the initial response to interferon treatment was clearly better in patients having HCV-K2 versus patients having HCV-K1-PT. These results suggest the possibility that clinical features due to HCV-K1 may be somewhat different from those due to HCV-K1-PT. However, the number of patients examined was too small to allow a definite conclusion, indicating a necessity for further study with a larger number of patients.

Relationship between serotonergic measures in periphery and the brain of mouse

Circadian rhythm and the relationship between the concentration of serotonin (5HT) and related substances (5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid; 5HIAA and tryptophan; Trp) in mouse brain, stomach and blood have been studied. All factors underwent circadian changes in the brain and blood. 5HT and 5HIAA levels in the stomach showed no circadian fluctuation. The concentrations of 5HT in the brain and blood did not correlate. Significant correlations were found between other serotonergic parameters analyzed in brain, stomach and blood. A significant negative correlation was observed between brain 5HIAA and blood 5HIAA. The concentration of tryptophan in the brain was correlated with the plasma total tryptophan level. There was fairly significant correlation (p less than 0.06) between brain serotonin and plasma tryptophan levels. The brain serotonin and tryptophan levels were strongly correlated (R = 0.410, p less than 0.03). Significant negative correlation was found between serotonin in the blood and serotonin in the stomach as well as between its level in the brain and in the stomach. The significance of these findings and their relationship to the use of peripheral serotonergic system as a model of neurons are discussed.

Molecular characterization of a JC virus (Sap-1) clone derived from a cerebellar form of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a demyelinating disease caused by polyomavirus JC (JCV). In the majority of cases of PML the cerebrum is mainly affected (cerebral PML) but on rare occasions lesions are restricted to the cerebellum and brain stem (cerebellar PML). We report a rare cerebellar PML case which occurred in a Japanese patient undergoing prolonged hemodialysis treatment. To understand the molecular basis of the viral tissue tropism, we molecularly cloned JCV DNA and compared it with those of cerebral PML. Of ten clones analyzed nine showed identical fragment patterns after digestion with various restriction endonucleases, and we designated these clones Sap-1. It could be shown that the basic structures of the regulatory regions are similar between Sap-1 and isolates from cerebral PML. Restriction endonuclease mapping analysis was used to examine the genetic relationship between Sap-1 and urine-derived isolates containing the archetypal regulatory sequence. We found that Sap-1 was genetically related to an archetypal JCV isolate in Japan.

[Endoscopic studies on refractory gastric ulcers, especially, linear ulcers, treated with proton pump inhibitor]

Seven patients with refractory gastric ulcers against H2-blocker therapy, were treated with omeprazole, and the endoscopic findings serially followed. Round ulcers improved steadily with treatment in two cases. However, healing of the ulcers was not complete and very small pin-point ulcers remained. Therefore, a prostaglandin E1 analogue was added at the 14 and 16th week of omeprazole therapy. The ulcers healed completely, two weeks later. In five cases with linear ulcers, one case discontinued the taking of omeprazole. The linear ulcers in the other four cases healed completely within 4 to 11 weeks. Endoscopically, some parts of the linear ulcers were initially scarred and the ulcers were divided into several short ulcers. The ulcers separated there after and healed respectively. These findings suggest that the healing process of linear ulcers may represent the reversed course of the developing process of linear ulcers. The results indicate that omeprazole is highly effective for the treatment of refractory gastric ulcers.

Effects of ethanol on the secretion of hepatic secretory protein in rat alcoholic liver injury

It has been pointed out that one of the pathogenetic causes of alcoholic liver injury is the hepatocytic accumulation of exportable proteins due to a decrease in hepatic microtubules caused by acetaldehyde. To confirm and extend this secretory protein accumulation in the hepatocytes, the effects of alcohol treatment on the intracellular transport of secretory protein in the hepatocyte was studied using radioisotope-labeled leucine and fucose. Acute ethanol administration to rats did not show any effects on intrahepatocytic transport and secretion of transferrin. In alcohol pyrazole hepatitis rats, the secretion of transferrin labeled with both radioactive leucine and fucose into the serum was significantly delayed. Delaying in the secretion of fucose-labeled transferrin was more prominent than in leucine-labeled transferrin. This secretory inhibition was accompanied by a corresponding increase in the hepatic retention of both leucine- and fucose-labeled transferrin. At the time of the maximum inhibition of secretion, radioisotope labeled transferrin mainly retained in the Golgi apparatus. These results indicated that movement of secretory proteins along the secretory pathway impaired in alcoholic liver injury and that accumulation of the secretory proteins might play an important role in the development of alcoholic liver injury.

Diurnal patterns of serotonin, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, tryptophan and fibrinolytic activity in blood of depressive patients and healthy volunteers

Diurnal changes of serotonin-related factors in whole blood and fibrinolytic activity were determined in depressed patients and healthy controls. Whole blood serotonin concentration of depressed patients showed marked changes throughout daytime, with maximum values in the evening and lowest values in the morning, whereas its metabolite 5-HIAA followed a contrary pattern. The circadian rhythm of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in the control group was quite different from depressed patients. Plasma levels of tPA decreased from 12:30 to 16:30. Concentrations of free plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) and complex of tPA-PAI-1 decreased from 8:30 to 16:30. Plasma levels of total PAI-1 decreased from 8:30 to 16:30. Plasma levels of the fibrinolytic parameters may be lower in depressive patients than in normal controls. These results support the changes in the circadian rhythm of serotonin and its related substances in the blood of depressive patients.

PAI-1 plays an important role in the expression of t-PA activity in the euglobulin clot lysis by controlling the concentration of free t-PA

The antigen levels of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) were assayed in the plasma and in the euglobulin fraction, and their contributions to the euglobulin clot lysis time (ECLT) and t-PA activity were analyzed. Total and free PAI-1 levels in both fractions showed significant positive correlation with ECLT (p less than 0.001), whereas t-PA antigen level did not have a high correlation coefficient with ECLT. t-PA activity showed significant negative correlation with ECLT (p less than 0.001) and positive correlation with free t-PA level (p less than 0.001), which was calculated by the ratio of the concentrations of t-PA-PAI-1 complex and the free PAI-1. Thus free t-PA seems to dissolve the euglobulin clot and its concentration seems to be controlled by the concentration of free PAI-1. These findings were confirmed by the analyses of the effects of C1-inactivator and antibody against t-PA to regular ECLT and kaolin activated ECLT, the latter of which was only inhibited by the addition of C1-inactivator whereas the former was inhibited by anti-t-PA antibody.

Adhesion of human cancer cells to vascular endothelium mediated by a carbohydrate antigen, sialyl Lewis A

Recently the lectin-like domain on ELAM-1 (endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule-1) was shown to recognize a carbohydrate antigen, sialyl Lewis x. In this paper we demonstrate, by a series of inhibition experiments utilizing specific monoclonal antibodies and pure glycolipid preparations, that the sialyl Lewis a antigen serves as a specific ligand for ELAM-1 as well as sialyl Lewis x and plays a significant role in the ELAM-1-mediated binding of human cancer cells to activated endothelial cells.

Microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm. Patterns of vascular compression in unsuccessfully operated patients

To determine the causative factors of unsuccessful microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm, the follow-up results in 53 patients were assessed retrospectively. The mean follow-up period was 36 months. There were 32 patients who had compression of the seventh cranial nerve ventrocaudally by an anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) or a posterior inferior cerebellar artery. Of these 32 patients, 30 (94%) had excellent postoperative results. Of 14 patients with more severe compression by the vertebral artery, nine (64%) had excellent results, three (21%) had good results, and two (14%) had poor results; in this group, three patients with excellent results experienced transient spasm recurrence. There were seven patients in whom the meatal branch of the AICA coursed between the seventh and eighth cranial nerves and compressed the dorsal aspect of the seventh nerve; this was usually associated with another artery compressing the ventral aspect of the nerve ("sandwich-type" compression). Of these seven patients, five (71%) had poor results including operative failure in one and recurrence of spasm in four. The authors conclude that the clinical outcome was closely related to the patterns of vascular compression.

Typing of hepatitis C virus genomes by restriction fragment length polymorphism

Recently, we reported that hepatitis C virus (HCV) can be classified genetically into two types, HCV-K1 and HCV-K2, which show 67% and 71% identity at the nucleotide and amino acid sequence levels in a 340 bp region which encodes the NS5 gene Gly-Asp-Asp motif. To develop a rapid method to classify the genomes of HCV isolates, we identified restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) in reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction products encoding a portion of the NS5 gene. AluI and AccII enabled HCV to be classified into the K1 and K2 types, and Sau96I enabled classification into the K1 type, and the K2a and K2b subtypes. These RFLPs also generally allow Japanese isolates to be distinguished from the prototype (PT, an isolate from the U.S.A.), which is a K1 type. Sequence analysis of the 5'-untranslated regions of Japanese isolates revealed near identity between the K1 type and PT, and 93 to 94% identity between the K1 and K2 types, indicating that there are type K1- and K2-specific RFLPs in this region. Our results suggest that the nucleotide sequences of the K1 and K2 types are different throughout the HCV genome. The incidence of HCV types K1, K2a and K2b, and PT in 50 samples was 74%, 16%, 8% and 2%, respectively.

Genotyping of the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) gene using the polymerase chain reaction: evidence for single point mutation in the ALDH2 gene of ALDH2-deficiency

About half of all Japanese lack the activity of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), and suffer a flush after alcohol intake due to the marked elevation of blood acetaldehyde concentration. The cause of ALDH2 deficiency is thought to be a single point mutation in codon 487 of the ALDH2 gene. However, this mutant ALDH2 gene has not yet been cloned and sequenced. We amplified and cloned the exon 12 of the ALDH2 gene using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and revealed that normal GAA coding glutamic acid is replaced for AAA coding lysine in codon 487 of the mutant ALDH2 gene. Based on this finding, we performed the genotyping of the ALDH2 gene using PCR and allele-specific oligonucleotide probes. The genotypes of 13 subjects with ALDH2-active phenotype were all homozygous for the normal ALDH2 gene (ALDH2(1)), while in 9 subjects with ALDH2-deficient phenotype 2 subjects were homozygous for the mutant ALDH2 gene (ALDH2(2)) and the other 7 subjects were heterozygous for both genes, indicating that the mutant ALDH2 gene is dominant. In 20 normal control subjects, the prevalence of ALDH2(1)/ALDH2(1), ALDH2(1)/ALDH2(2) and ALDH2(2)/ALDH2(2) was 45%, 45% and 10% respectively. On the other hand, in 36 alcoholic liver disease patients, the prevalence of the genotypes was 83%, 17% and 0%. These results confirmed the previous observation that the incidence of ALDH2 deficiency is much lower in alcoholic liver disease patients than in the general population, and suggested that most of the ALDH2 deficient patients with alcoholic liver disease are heterozygous for the normal and mutant ALDH2 genes.

Accumulation of glycoprotein in the Golgi apparatus of hepatocytes in alcoholic liver injuries

To clarify the role of the hepatocytic Golgi apparatus in the accumulation of proteins in the hepatocytes of alcoholic liver disease, changes in the Golgi apparatus in human and experimental alcoholic liver injuries were analyzed. Immunoelectron microscopically, transferrin, one of the secretory glycoproteins from the liver, was retained in the smooth endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus of the hepatocytes in both human and rat alcoholic liver injuries. Biochemically, transferrin content in the Golgi fraction was clearly high in the rats with alcoholic liver injury. Desialo-glycoproteins were found in the serum of rats with alcoholic liver injuries. These results suggested that the glycosylation and secretion of hepatic glycoproteins in the Golgi apparatus were impaired in alcoholic liver injury. These abnormalities in the Golgi apparatus function may be important for the development of alcoholic liver injury.

Increase in levels of plasminogen activator and type-1 plasminogen activator inhibitor in human breast cancer: possible roles in tumor progression and metastasis

We measured antigen levels of two kinds of plasminogen activators, tissue type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and urokinase type plasminogen activator (UK), as well as their primary inhibitor, type-1 plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) in the tissue extracts of benign and malignant breast tumors. Tumor tissues of 36 fibroadenomas and 39 breast cancers were examined. t-PA levels were not different in both groups. Malignant tumors contained the significantly higher levels of UK than benign tumors (p less than 0.001). Furthermore in breast cancer tissues, UK antigen levels of tumors with axillary lymph node involvements were significantly higher than those of tumors without lymph node involvements (p less than 0.05). PAI-1 antigen levels of breast cancer tissues were dramatically higher than those of fibroadenoma (p less than 0.001). PAI-1 levels of node positive carcinomas showed also values significantly higher than node negative ones (p less than 0.01). When we divided cancer tissues into three groups as node negative tumors, tumors with positive axillary nodes fewer than four and tumors with four or more positive nodes, PAI-1 levels increased corresponding to the progression of lymph node involvements (p less than 0.05). Immunohistochemical studies, using mouse monoclonal antibodies to human UK and PAI-1, showed that those immunoreactivities were diffusely distributed in the cytoplasm of human breast cancer cells. Their staining patterns were very similar to each other.

[Serum cholesterol levels in normal subjects taking into consideration the accuracy of the measuring system]

Serum cholesterol levels were determined in 5,843 normal subjects aged zero to seventy years. The accuracy of our assay method was checked by Standard Reference Material 909 and Certified Reference Serum, both of which were supplied by the National Bureau of Standards. Reference values of serum cholesterol were confirmed for each age group. That of male subjects in the 15-20 year age group was within a range of 109-203 mg/dl, and that of female subjects in the 20-25 year age group was within a range of 133-215 mg/dl. Therefore, among normal subjects, the above-mentioned age groups had the lowest serum cholesterol levels. Serum cholesterol levels increased with age in both male and female subjects. The upper limit of cholesterol levels was 248 mg/dl for males in the 50-60 year age group and 284 mg/dl for females in the same age group. We observed the necessity of paying consideration those changes which occur with aging, in the determination of reference values of serum cholesterol. Our findings also showed that serum cholesterol levels remained nearly constant in male subjects of all age groups over a period of 25 years. However, we found mean levels in female subjects in the 50-70 year age groups to be significantly elevated, when compared with those observed in persons in the same age group of 25 years previous. We also found that the mean cholesterol level in girls aged 12 years was higher than that of boys the same age.