Phytogrowth-inhibitory activities of sulfur-containing compounds. II. The inhibitory activities of thiosalicylic acid and dihydro-2(3H)-thiophenone-related compounds on plant growth

Thiosalicylic acid (I) showed rather strong inhibitory activity on the growth of roots of all plants treated except Abelmoschus esculentus Moench at the concentration of 5.0 x 10(-4) M. This compound strongly inhibited the growth of the root of Echinochloa utilis Ohwi et Yabuno even at the low concentration of 5.0 x 10(-5) M. Dihydro-2(3H)-thiophenone (VII) also exhibited inhibitory activity on the growth of roots of all plants treated except Glycine max Merrill. Both compounds inhibited the germination of seeds of some plants at the concentration of 1.0 x 10(-3) M. In I-related compounds (I-V), methyl acetylthiosalicylate (IV) had the strongest inhibitory activity, while in VII-related compounds (VII-XI), 4-hydroxy-2(5H)-thiophenone (VIII) showed the most potent inhibitory activity. The amount of chlorophyll in the cotyledon of Brassica campestris L. subsp. rapa Hook. f. et Anders treated with all compounds except tetrahydrothiophene (XI) was lower than that of the control group.

Inhibitory action of N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester on in vivo long-term potentiation in the rat dentate gyrus

Recent in vitro observations have led to the suggestion that nitric oxide (NO) plays a modulatory role in the expression of long-term potentiation (LTP). We investigated whether an NO synthesis inhibitor, N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), affects the generation of LTP in anesthetized rats in vivo. Administration of L-NAME (0.1 and 1 nmol, i.c.v.) suppressed the magnitude of LTP dose dependently in the dentate gyrus of anesthetized rats. Co-injection of L-arginine, which interferes with the inhibitory action of L-NAME on NO synthesis, reversed these effects, whereas there was no reversal in rats that received co-administration with D-arginine. These results provide further support for the hypothesis that NO plays a modulatory role in the expression of synaptic potentiation.

[Ischemic stroke in childhood]

We have encountered 38 cases of juvenile ischemic strokes during the past 10 years, which included 16 cases of moyamoya disease and 22 cases of non-moyamoya strokes. The etiology could not be determined in most non-moyamoya strokes, except in 4 cases of cardiogenic embolism and 1 case of post-meningitic stroke. We further examined 13 cases of idiopathic strokes, which showed clinical symptoms of so-called acute infantile hemiplegia. Nine out of 13 patients developed strokes between 6 months and 2 years of age. Strong male preponderance was noted, since 11 out of 13 patients were boys. CT scan showed basal ganglionic infarction in the territory of the perforating branches of the middle cerebral artery in 12 patients. Recurrence of ischemic events occurred in none of the patients during the mean follow-up period of 48.4 months. Functional recovery was also good, since no neurological sequelae were found in 5 patients, and the other 8 disabled children were able to go to school without help and none of the children were mentally retarded. These results and a review of the literature suggest the importance of traumatic mechanisms in the etiology and pathogenesis of juvenile idiopathic ischemic strokes of the acute infantile hemiplegic type.

Effect of 5-hydroxytryptamine on glossopharyngeal afferent nerve activity in anesthetized rats

Excitatory responses to 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) were recorded from the whole glossopharyngeal afferent nerve in anesthetized rats, using an electrophysiological technique. Bolus intravenous injection of 5-HT (6.25-50 micrograms/kg) evoked a dose-dependent excitation of glossopharyngeal afferent nerve activity with a rapid onset and lasting a few seconds. This response was blocked by a selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, YM060 (10 micrograms/kg i.v.). A 5-HT3 receptor agonist, 2-methyl-5-HT (6.25-50 micrograms/kg), also produced a rapid and dose-dependent excitation of this nerve activity, and YM060 (10 micrograms/kg i.v.) caused an inhibition of this effect. In contrast, efferent glossopharyngeal nerve activity was not altered by 5-HT even at a high dose (50 micrograms/kg). These results suggest that exogenous 5-HT may elicit excitation of the glossopharyngeal afferent nerve, and that this effect might be mediated via the 5-HT3 receptors on the nerve endings.

Opioid receptor regulation of 5-hydroxytryptamine release from the rat hippocampus measured by in vivo microdialysis

The modulation of serotonin (5-HT) release by opioid receptors in the hippocampus of the awake, unrestrained rat was evaluated by use of in vivo microdialysis. The hippocampus was perfused with Ringer's solution (2 microliters/min), and extracellular levels of 5-HT and its major metabolite, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) were estimated by assaying their concentration in the dialysate by HPLC-ECD. Addition of potassium (K+, 60 and 120 mM) to the perfusate evoked a concentration-dependent release of 5-HT, but did not alter extracellular 5-HIAA levels. Co-perfusion of morphine (0.1 to 10 microM) with K+ (120 mM) produced a concentration-dependent reduction of 5-HT release. Naltrexone (0.03 to 3 mg/kg, i.p.), a relatively selective mu-opioid receptor antagonist, blocked in a dose-dependent manner the morphine (10 microM)-induced inhibition of 5-HT release. Naltrexone alone did not alter significantly either extracellular 5-HT levels or the release of 5-HT evoked by K+. Neither co-perfusion with [D-Pen2, D-Pen5]-enkephalin (DPDPE, 1 to 10 microM), an agonist selective for delta-opioid receptors, nor with U-69593 (10 microM), an agonist selective for kappa-opioid receptors, modified the K+ (120 mM)-evoked release of 5-HT. These findings indicate that mu-opioid receptors modulate the physiological release of 5-HT from serotonergic neurons in the rat hippocampus.

Changes of proliferative activity and phenotypes in spontaneous differentiation of a colon cancer cell line

We examined the alterations of proliferative activity and c-myc expression of a colon cancer cell line (Caco-2) during its spontaneous differentiation. Caco-2 cells were cultured in various types of media and the degree of differentiation was monitored in terms of dome formation in cell monolayers and expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. In Caco-2 cells cultured with Eagle's minimum essential medium (EMEM) containing 10% fetal calf serum (FCS), dome formation was demonstrated and ALP activity was markedly increased after the cells reached confluence. Five-fold reduction of c-myc mRNA and a marked decrease in S-phase cells were observed in the differentiated cells. These changes were not induced in FCS-free EMEM. The addition of insulin and transferrin to FCS-free EMEM did not induce cell differentiation or reduction of c-myc mRNA expression. When Caco-2 cells were cultured with three different serum-free media, the induction of dome formation and the increase of ALP activity were observed to varying degrees. Expression of c-myc mRNA in the cells cultured with one serum-free medium decreased to a level similar to that in fully differentiated cells cultured with EMEM containing 10% FCS. These results suggest that a spontaneous switch from a proliferative state with high c-myc expression to differentiated phenotype occurs after cells reach confluence and depends on the culture conditions.

Campylobacter jejuni strains from patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome belong mostly to Penner serogroup 19 and contain beta-N-acetylglucosamine residues

Campylobacter jejuni was isolated from stool cultures from 14 (30%) of 46 patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome and from 6 (1.2%) of 503 healthy persons, and the difference was highly significant (p < 0.0001). In addition, serological evidence of recent C. jejuni infection was found in 5 of 29 patients with negative stool cultures. Therefore, 41% of patients were associated with C. jejuni infection. Ten of 12 (83%) isolates from patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome belonged to Penner serogroup 19, which is a rare serogroup in sporadic patients with C. jejuni enteritis. In the lectin typing study, all serogroup 19 strains from patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome were shown to contain terminal beta-N-acetylglucosamine residues on their cell surface, but serogroup 19 strains from patients with enteritis were not.

Evaluation of 5-hydroxytryptamine concentration in portal vein measured by microdialysis

Free 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) concentration in the portal vein was monitored in anesthetized rats using microdialysis. The 5-hydroxytryptamine metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) was also measured. Concentration of 5-HT in the portal vein decreased gradually after insertion of a microdialysis probe but fluctuated markedly throughout the entire perfusion, whereas 5-HIAA values did not fluctuated in the same manner. An electron microscopic study of the probe membrane after dialysis showed platelet adhesion and aggregation on part of the membrane. In contrast, 5-HT concentration measured by puncture and direct blood sampling of the portal vein did not fluctuate in the same way as that determined by microdialysis. These results suggest that measurement of free 5-HT concentration in the blood by microdialysis might be inaccurate due to contamination of 5-HT from adhesion and aggregation of platelets on the probe membrane.

Specificity of the Mnt protein. Independent effects of mutations at different positions in the operator

The relative binding affinities of Mnt protein are determined for each possible base-pair at position 15 of the operator sequence, and for all combinations of G.C base-pairs at positions 15 and 17. The partitioning of each operator sequence is determined quantitatively with restriction enzymes. At position 15, the wild-type G.C base-pair provides the highest binding affinity but, unlike position 17, the primary distinction is between purine and pyrimidine bases on the top strand. The information content at position 15 is only about 0.16 bit. In comparison with previous measurements at position 17, it is determined that the interactions of the Mnt protein with positions 15 and 17 are independent, i.e. the specific binding energies for the two positions are additive. The relative binding affinities at position 17 are also determined in the background of a G to T mutation at position 5, the position equivalent to 17 on the other half of the symmetric operator. The relative affinities at position 17 are independent of whether position 5 is wild-type or mutant.

Detection of tumor necrosis factor-alpha-positive cells in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-positive cells constituted 1.6-18% and 8.2-23.5% of the total number of cerebrospinal fluid cells from six of 12 patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy and in all samples obtained from inflammatory cases, respectively. However, in non-inflammatory cases no TNF-alpha-positive cells were detected. These results suggest that some of the infiltrating CSF cells produce TNF-alpha, which plays a role in host immune defenses against causative agents including HTLV-I and in lesion formation within the central nervous system in inflammatory diseases.

Preoperative in vitro chemosensitivity test of esophageal cancer with endoscopic specimens

BACKGROUND

From January 1990 to June 1991, the authors tested in vitro chemosensitivity before surgery with endoscopic biopsy specimens from 23 patients with intrathoracic esophageal cancer.

METHODS

The authors tested eight anticancer agents using the dye exclusion method, and all 23 patients received chemotherapy with the most sensitive three drugs according to the results of the chemosensitivity test.

RESULTS

Ten patients (43.5%) had a tumor reduction of more than 50% on radiologic studies, and 4 patients (17.4%) had a good histologic effect.

CONCLUSIONS

The chemosensitivity test is useful in selecting preoperative chemotherapeutic agents for patients with esophageal cancer.

Significant changes in intestinal lymphatic system and immune response elicited by Peyer's patch excision in adult rats

The effect of deprivation of Peyer's patches (PP) on transport of lymphocytes through intestinal lymph and intestinal mucosal immune responses was investigated in rats. All visible PP in the rat small intestine were excised in order to examine the roles of PP in the intestinal lymphatic system and mucosal immune responses of the intestine. Two weeks after the experimental excision of PP, lymphocyte transport in intestinal lymph was significantly decreased in PP-excised rats without significant changes in lymphocyte subsets as compared with sham operated control rats. Lymphocyte subsets as determined morphometrically in the intestinal mucosa showed no significant alteration in PP-excised rats. There was a significant decrease in the number of immunoglobulin A (IgA) containing cells in the intestinal mucosa of PP-excised rats, while IgM and IgG containing cells showed no statistically significant changes in number. Conversely, the macrophages in the intestinal mucosa increased in number, suggesting the enhanced accessory functions of these macrophages. Antigen-specific immune response was further studied in PP-excised rats using intraduodenal priming and challenge with cholera toxin (CT). Both the determinations of cells producing antigen-specific antibody in the intestinal mucosa using anti-CT antibody and those of cells secreting anti-CT Ig in the intestinal lymph by enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay showed a significant reduction of CT-specific antibody production in PP-excised rats compared with controls. Peyer's patches appear to have an important role in lymphocyte transportation through intestinal lymph and also in mucosal immune responses.

Inhibitory effects of clonidine on serotonergic neuronal activity as measured by cerebrospinal fluid serotonin and its metabolite in anesthetized rats

Clonidine-induced changes in the serotonergic neuronal activity of the central nervous system were estimated by measuring the concentrations of serotonin (5-HT) and its major metabolite, 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA), in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of anesthetized rats. Clonidine (30 and 300 micrograms/kg, i.v.) led to 74% and 60% reductions in the concentration of 5-HT in the CSF 60 min after administration. CSF 5-HIAA concentrations were also decreased to 77% and 66%, respectively. Clonidine-induced (30 micrograms/kg, i.v.) decreases in CSF 5-HT and 5-HIAA concentrations were attenuated by pretreatment with idazoxan (5 mg/kg, i.p.). Idazoxan by itself did not alter the CSF 5-HT and 5-HIAA concentrations. Decreased CSF 5-HT and 5-HIAA concentrations after i.v. administration of clonidine (30 micrograms/kg) were abolished by noradrenergic denervation after pretreatment with 6-hydroxydopamine (200 micrograms/rat, i.c.v.). These results suggest the possibility that clonidine acts to inhibit the serotonergic neuronal activity, which is mediated via the alpha 2-adrenoceptors. It indicates, moreover, that noradrenergic nervous systems are involved in the clonidine-induced inhibition of serotonergic neuronal activity. Therefore, noradrenergic neurons play a significant role in mediating the actions of clonidine on serotonergic neuronal activity in the rat brain.

Primary leiomyosarcoma of the thyroid gland

A primary leiomyosarcoma of the thyroid gland in a 72 year old Japanese woman is described. This is the second case reported in the English literature. The patient presented with a 7 month history of a gradually expanding tumor in the right neck. The surgical specimen taken by thyroid lobectomy revealed a relatively well demarcated tumor, 2 x 2 x 3 cm in size, confined to the right lobe. Histologically, the tumor showed a classical leiomyosarcomatous appearance of interlacing fascicles of spindle-shaped cells with occasional blunt-ended nuclei and a high frequency of mitotic figures. Immunohistochemistry of the tumor cells clearly showed smooth muscle differentiation; the cells were positive for desmin, muscle-specific actin and vimentin and negative for cytokeratin, epithelial membrane antigen, carcinoembryonic antigen, thyroglobulin and calcitonin. The patient was free of disease for 3 years and 11 months without further treatment when evidence of multiple bone metastases appeared on bone scintigraphy. She died of pneumonia 4 years and 3 months after the lobectomy.

Digitalis-like factors from human urine

We isolated two candidates for endogenous digitalis-like factors from human urine based on the inhibition of [3H]ouabain binding to intact human erythrocytes. The more-polar ouabain-displacing compound-1 (ODC-1) closely resembled ouabain in biological, physicochemical, and chromatographic properties. Moreover, anti-ouabain IgG dose-dependently neutralized the action of ODC-1. The less-polar ODC-2 behaved identically to digoxin in three analytical high-performance liquid chromatography and thin layer chromatography systems. Fast atom bombardment mass spectrum and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum supported the notion that ODC-2 may be indistinguishable from digoxin. The possibility that substances quite similar to cardenolides are synthesized in the mammalian body must be seriously considered.

[Effects of local anesthetics on rat macrophage phagocytosis]

We examined whether phagocytosis by macrophages (M phi s) is affected by local anesthetics (lidocaine HCl, prilocaine HCl, mepivacaine HCl, tetracaine HCl and procaine HCl). Opsonized zymosan, fetal bovine serum and one local anesthetic were added to each M phi sample. After a 30-min incubation, M phi s were washed to make Giemsa stained slides for counting. The phagocytosis rate was calculated by counting the phagocytosizing M phi s per 200 cells with an optical microscope, and rates for the samples containing local anesthetics were compared with those for the non-treated samples. Inhibition of phagocytosis was reversible, dose-dependent and pH dependent for all local anesthetics. Tetracaine HCl inhibited phagocytosis most and procaine HCl, least. These results suggest that local anesthetics at the level of clinical use inhibit leukocyte phagocytosis and therefore may interfere with the normal function of cells fundamental to host defense.

The use of combined in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry to identify HIV-infected cells in brain tissue

It is frequently important to identify the types of cells that are infected with human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) in sections of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) brain tissue. Currently, both immunocytochemical and in situ hybridization methods are used for this purpose. Combined in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry results in simultaneous detection of HIV-1 nucleic acids and proteins and allow comparison of transcriptional and translational events of cells infected with HIV-1 in the same section. In addition, this technique allows morphologic and immunologic identification of the cells within which in situ hybridization occurs and confirmation of the identity of the cells that are not hybridized. Procedures are described for use with FFPE brain tissue.

[BEP (bleomycin, etoposide, cisplatin) therapy for testicular tumors]

We describe our experience with BEP (bleomycin, etoposide, cisplatin) therapy as chemotherapy for testicular tumors in 11 patients. Eight were non-seminomatous testicular cancer patients and 3 were seminoma patients. Three of 8 non-seminomatous testicular cancer patients had no evident metastasis and BEP therapy was performed for prophylaxis of recurrence. Other 5 non-seminomatous testicular cancer patients and 3 seminoma patients had metastatic lesions and BEP therapy was performed to cure these metastatic lesions. Ten of our 11 patients are living and disease-free. One non-seminomatous testicular cancer patient who had brain, lung, eye and bladder metastases and had an extremely elevated human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) level responded only partially and died later due to disease progression. Side effects in most patients were nausea, vomiting, alopecia and leucopenia and all these side effects were reversible. Neuromuscular toxicity such as paresthesia or abdominal cramp that is sometimes encountered in PVB (cisplatin, vinblastine, bleomycin) therapy was not seen in our patients. Our results support the concept that BEP therapy is better than PVB therapy as an initial chemotherapy for testicular tumors.

[Peripheral serotonin receptors: respiratory and circulatory modulation]

The wide distribution of serotonin (5-HT) receptors and 5-HT-mediated effects suggest that 5-HT has important physiological and/or pathophysiological roles in the peripheral nervous system. Recent studies about the localization and release of 5-HT in the peripheral nervous system suggest that 5-HT likely plays a functional role in regulating discharge of autonomic neurons and modulating sensory afferent neurons. The electrophysiological approach has the merit of measuring a direct effect of 5-HT on its receptor. In this review, much of our described work focuses on effects mediated via 5-HT3-receptors on respiration and circulation using electrophysiological techniques, and we consider whether these actions of 5-HT have physiological and/or pathophysiological significance.

HIV-1 in postmortem brain tissue from patients with AIDS: a comparison of different detection techniques

OBJECTIVE

The presence of HIV-1 in postmortem brain tissue from 31 patients with AIDS and 12 HIV-1-negative controls was investigated.

DESIGN

Most laboratories have access to the methods used. We readily applied in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry to archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) brain specimens.

METHODS

The techniques used to detect HIV-1 were explant culture, in situ hybridization with 35S-labeled polymerase (pol) gene riboprobes and immunohistochemistry with monoclonal antibody to gp41.

RESULTS

HIV-1 was isolated from explant cultures in 13 out of 20 (65%) patients, whereas HIV-1-infected cells were detected in FFPE brain tissue from nine out of 26 (35%) patients examined by in situ hybridization and in seven out of 26 (27%) patients examined by immunohistochemistry.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the isolation technique was the most sensitive of the three techniques tested, infected cells may be identified with in situ hybridization in conjunction with immunohistochemistry.

Ganglioside composition and its relation to clinical data in brain tumors

The ganglioside composition of 15 cases of meningioma, 15 cases of astrocytoma, 5 cases of neurinoma, 4 cases of ependymoma, 3 cases of metastatic brain tumor and 1 case each of mixed glioma, oligodendroglioma, medulloblastoma, embryonal carcinoma, and cultured glioma cell line were analyzed by thin-layer chromatography. The GM2, GD3, and GD2 content of the tumors was determined using specific monoclonal antibodies (MAb). Cases were grouped according to the difference in ganglioside pattern and various clinical features. In meningiomas and astrocytomas, GM3 and GD3 were the major gangliosides. The tumor content of the rather simple gangliosides (GM3, GM2, GD3, GD2) increased or was almost equal to that of normal tissue (leptomeninges tissue in the case of meningiomas, and brain tissue in the case of astrocytomas), while the tumor content of complex gangliosides (GM1, GD1a, GT1a, GT1b) decreased as compared with normal tissue. The GM3 content of meningiomas increased in middle-aged patients, who comprised the majority of the patients with these tumors. The GD2 content decreased in middle-aged patients with initial symptoms of meningioma within a year. The GM3 content of astrocytomas decreased in patients who underwent radiotherapy. The amount of GM3 and GD3 increased in small tumors. GM3 may be related to the early proliferative stage. The ganglioside patterns of brain tumors are shown in this study to differ according to clinical features and also to be changeable in their clinical courses.

Clinical variation within sibships in Fukuyama-type congenital muscular dystrophy

A family in which three siblings were affected with severe cerebral malformations in association with ocular anomalies and muscle disease is reported. One sibling was diagnosed as having Fukuyama type congenital muscular dystrophy (FCMD) because he showed severe hypotonia with dystrophic findings on a muscle biopsy in addition to pachygyria on CT. At the age of 3 years, retinal detachment developed in both eyes. Another sibling exhibited at birth such characteristic features as pachygyria, cephalocele, hydrocephalus, retinal detachment in both eyes, elevated serum creatine kinase activity and arthrogryposis multiplex congenita. We consider these findings to be more consistent with Walker-Warburg syndrome (WWS) than with FCMD. Anencephaly found in the third sibling was regarded as WWS with extreme brain abnormality. The appearance of two syndromes (FCMD and WWS) in the three members of the same family suggests that these syndromes could be allelic with variable phenotypes.

Granulomatous hypophysitis with meningitis and hypopituitarism

We report an unusual case of granulomatous hypophysitis in which visual impairment, meningitis and hypopituitarism in a 76-year-old female were associated with radiological evidence of a pituitary mass. The sellar lesion was indistinguishable from pituitary tumor on neuroimaging studies, but the recovery of visual acuity and visual field abnormalities together with the improvement of pituitary function after steroid administration indicated that the mass lesion was due to an inflammatory disease of the pituitary gland. The pituitary tissue obtained by transsphenoidal hypophysectomy revealed granulomatous inflammatory cell infiltration with epithelioid cells and scattered multinucleated giant cells. Although a causal relationship with meningitis was not ascertained, possible exposure of the CSF space to the autoimmune inflammatory process of the pituitary gland was likely in view of the positive pituitary antibody reaction and radiological evidence of suprasellar extension. This entity should be considered when evaluating patients with a pituitary mass, hypopituitarism and meningitis.