[Transurethral teflon paste injection for vesicoureteral reflux in neurogenic bladder dysfunction]

We experienced transurethral teflon paste injection for 12 refluxing ureters of 7 patients with neurogenic bladder dysfunction. Preoperative assessment of cystometry showed hypoactive bladder function with normal bladder compliance in 4 patients, and low compliance bladder (< 10 ml/cmH2O) in 1. Voiding cystography revealed grade 1 reflux in 2 ureters, grade 2 in 3, grade 3 in 2, grade 4 in 2, and grade 5 in 2. One ureter did not show reflux. Zero point two to 1.6 ml of teflon paste was injected on each ureter under cystoscopic observation. These patients were followed for a mean of 25.1 months. Reflux disappeared immediately after the first operations in all patients, however recurrence was observed in 2 ureters, in which improvement of reflux (grade 5 to 2) was achieved in 1 ureter but no improvement (grade 2 to 2) in another. Pyelonephritis was not encountered in any patients after injection. No complication was observed through the follow up period. In conclusion, we advocate that endoscopic teflon paste injection is a useful alternative to ureteroneocystostomy in the treatment of reflux in patients with neurogenic bladder dysfunction.

17 beta-estradiol mimics ligand activity of the c-erbB2 protooncogene product

We report here the physical and functional interaction of estrogen with the ErbB2 protein p185c-erbB2. The ErbB2 protein immunoprecipitated from estrogen-treated [10(-8) to 10(-6) M 17 beta-estradiol (E2)] RC cells showed higher autophosphorylation activity than that from untreated cells. Likewise autophosphorylation activity of ErbB2 protein from untreated cells was stimulated in vitro by E2. In addition, E2 treatment induced down-regulation of ErbB2 protein from the detergent-soluble fraction of the RC cells within 15 min. E2 also induced morphological transformation of the RC cells but not of the parental NIH 3T3 cells, which express little c-erbB2 under the same experimental conditions. This morphological transformation of RC cells was reversed by tamoxifen. However, E2 treatment did not induce anchorage-independent growth of RC cells. Scatchard analysis revealed E2 binding to the ErbB2 protein on RC cells; the Kd value was 2.7 nM. E2 did not bind appreciably to the parental NIH 3T3 cells or cells expressing an ErbB2 protein lacking most of its extracellular domain. These data suggest that estrogen plays an important role in ErbB2-mediated signaling.

The amplitude of synchronized cardiac sympathetic nerve activity reflects the number of activated pre- and postganglionic fibers in anesthetized cats

In order to obtain information regarding the number of pre- and postganglionic fibers that are firing, we measured cardiac sympathetic nerve activity (CSNA) before and after the successive sectioning of T1-T5 thoracic rami in anesthetized cats. Total activity from the area was measured under the mean CSNA curve. Peak amplitude, width and periodicity of the synchronized discharge was analyzed from the CSNA curve by the method we developed. Total CSNA decreased to 91 +/- 6%, 63 +/- 6%, 27 +/- 10%, 8 +/- 6% and < 1% of the control due to successive section of the T5, T4, T3, T2 and T1 rami, respectively. The peak amplitude of synchronized CSNA decreased to 95 +/- 6%, 73 +/- 8%, 40 +/- 5% and < 10% of the control value, due to section of the T5, T4, T3 and T2 rami, respectively. The control width was 107 +/- 8 ms and decreased to 106 +/- 1 ms, 92 +/- 6 ms and 68 +/- 5 ms by successive section of the respective T5, T4 and T3 rami. However, periodicities of 80-120 ms (Tc rhythm) and 140-500 ms (Tb rhythm) of synchronized CSNA remained unchanged after section of the T3-T5 rami. The total CSNA decreased gradually due to decreases in the peak amplitude and width of synchronized CSNA with the successive section of preganglionic fibers. These results indicate that the peak amplitude of synchronized CSNA reflects the number of pre- and post-ganglionic fibers that are firing and suggest that the number of preganglionic neurons which activate the cardiac fibers naturally was largest in the T3 segment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The human cot proto-oncogene encodes two protein serine/threonine kinases with different transforming activities by alternative initiation of translation

The cot gene is an oncogene encoding serine/threonine kinases isolated by DNA transfection assay. In this study, we isolated cDNA for the human cot protooncogene (proto-cot gene) and examined the structure and function of its gene products. The proto-cot gene has an open reading frame encoding 467 amino acids of which the first 397 amino acids are identical to those in the corresponding part of the cot gene. The protein products of the proto-cot gene were identified as 58- and 52-kDa proteins with intrinsic protein serine/threonine kinase activity. These two protein species were suggested to be generated by alternative initiation from two AUGs. The 58- and 52-kDa proteins are both localized predominantly in the cytosol, but the 58-kDa protein has a shorter half-life than the 52-kDa protein, suggesting the importance of the amino-terminal domain in regulating the stability of the proto-Cot protein. More interestingly, the 58-kDa protein showed stronger transforming activity than the 52-kDa protein, although this activity was much weaker than that of the Cot oncoprotein. Thus, the amino-terminal domain of the Cot protein may be necessary for cellular transformation, whereas the carboxyl-terminal domain may negatively regulate the transforming activity.

Simultaneous determination of the migration coefficient of each base in heterogeneous oligo-DNA by gel filled capillary electrophoresis

The direct determination of migration coefficients was achieved by analysing the migration time of heterogeneous oligo-DNA with a gel filled capillary using the Gauss least-squares method for the observation functions, assuming that the migration time of oligo-DNA is dependent on its base composition and chain length. By using the coefficients obtained, the migration time of oligo-DNA of any known sequence that does not have a secondary structure can be estimated with an accuracy of less than 0.5-mer of cytidine. In addition, from the deviation of the actual migration time from the calculated migration time in certain specially designed base sequences, the existence of a secondary structure such as a hairpin structure was strongly suggested even in the presence of 7 M urea. From the investigation of the effects of secondary structure on migration time, it was concluded that this approach will give qualitative information on secondary structure, which may be applicable in work such as single strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis or antisense DNA analysis, in which secondary structure plays an important role in accelerating or decelerating migration times. The results of the analysis also predict the apparent chain length reversal from short to long together with a reduction in the actual chain length in DNA sequencing using capillary electrophoresis.

Characterization of a new diphenylpyrazolidinone cholecystokinin antagonist in vitro isolated rat pancreatic acini

The effects of a newly developed diphenylpyrazolidinone cholecystokinin (CCK) antagonist LY219,057 were examined in the isolated rat pancreatic acini and compared with those of devazepide (previously designated L364,718 or MK-329). LY219,057 caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of 100 pM CCK octapeptide (CCK-8)-stimulated amylase release, with a half-maximal inhibition (ID50) at 287.5 +/- 28.4 nM and was 200 times less potent than devazepide (ID50 = 1.4 +/- 0.2 nM). The antagonism was competitive in nature because LY219,057 caused a parallel rightward shift of the dose-response curve for CCK-8-stimulated amylase secretion without altering the maximal increase. LY219,057 significantly inhibited amylase release in response to CCK-8 and cerulein but had no effect on amylase release stimulated by other receptor secretagogs or agent bypassing receptors. LY219,057, whether added at the beginning or 20 min after the CCK-8 stimulation, inhibited amylase release. This compound caused a residual inhibition of the action of CCK-8. Acini preincubated with 1.0 microM LY219,057 for 30 min at 37 degrees C were threefold less sensitive to CCK-8 than the acini preincubated without LY219,057. These results indicate that LY219,057 acts as a potent, competitive, and specific CCK receptor antagonist of the action of CCK on the exocrine pancreas.

Increased fragmentation of urinary fibronectin in cancer patients detected by immunoenzymometric assay using domain-specific monoclonal antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) recognizing the distinct domains of human fibronectin had previously been established and they were used to construct several sandwich immunoenzymometric assays (IEMAs) for the structural analysis of fibronectin found in the urine of cancer patients. Urinary fibronectin (UFN) was immunodetectable only with FN12-8 and FN30-8 MoAbs against cell-binding domains and was less reactive with other IEMAs using MoAbs directed to terminal domains, indicating that UFN was almost completely fragmented and consisted mainly of cell-binding regions. The IEMA using MoAbs against cell-binding domains had sufficient immunoreactivities with the antigen fragmented by artificial proteolysis, but these fragments could hardly be detected by other IEMAs. UFN levels were significantly elevated in various cancer patients and extremely elevated in some patients with distant metastasis. It is presumed that UFN fragments which increase in cancer patients are generated by extracellular matrix destruction. Thus UFN levels and the ratio of the fragmented UFN level to the non-fragmented UFN level appear to be informative clinical indicators of tumor malignancy or metastatic ability in cancer patients.

[Intraarterial infusion chemotherapy for recurrent or unresectable gastric cancer]

Sixteen patients with recurrent or unresectable gastric cancer were treated by intraarterial infusion chemotherapy. The tip of the catheter was located at the 9-10th Th level in the aorta of 14 patients and in the common hepatic artery of two. The drug combination was methotrexate + 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), cisplatin, mitomycin C (MMC) + etoposide and MMC + 5-FU. Side effects such as bone marrow suppression, diarrhea and appetite loss were seen in 63% (10/16). The response rate was 36% (4/11) in those who were evaluated, and another three showed relief from symptoms. Median survival time was 11 months, and the one year survival rate was 41%, while two patients showing PR have been alive for more than one year.

[Functions of antioncogene products]

Inactivation of antioncogenes result in the generation of tumor cells. Recent progress in molecular biology of antioncogenes enabled us to study the function of the products of RB, WT, p53, NF1, DCC, APC and MCC genes. Analyses of the function of these proteins will give us an insight into the mechanisms of cell transformation.

Enzymatic resolution of racemic 1,2:5,6-di-O-cyclohexylidene and 1,2:3,4-di-O-cyclohexylidene-myo-inositol

Enzyme-catalyzed regio- and enantioselective esterification of racemic 1,2:5,6-di-O-cyclohexylidene- and 1,2:3,4-di-O-cyclohexylidene-myo-inositol, which are key intermediates for syntheses of various naturally occurring myo-inositol phosphate derivatives, proceeded exclusively in organic solvent to give optically pure materials and selectively protected products in gram scale. Hydrolysis of mono-O-acetates of the corresponding racemic materials catalyzed by the same enzymes yielded complementary products. The present study provides a new and efficient method for obtaining optically pure myo-inositol derivatives.

Association of immunoglobulin G Fc receptor II with Src-like protein-tyrosine kinase Fgr in neutrophils

The interaction of Fc receptors with antibody-antigen complexes activates multiple biological functions in hematopoietic cells. Recently, protein-tyrosine phosphorylation has been suggested to be involved in Fc receptor-mediated cell signaling. Here we show that the Src-like protein-tyrosine kinase Fgr, which is specifically expressed in mature myelomonocytic cells, coimmunoprecipitates with IgG Fc receptor II (Fc gamma RII), but not with Fc gamma RIII from detergent lysates of human peripheral neutrophils. Crosslinking of Fc gamma RII induced a rapid increase in the tyrosine kinase activity and comodulation of Fgr. These results suggest that Fgr is physically and functionally associated with Fc gamma RII and involved in Fc gamma RII-mediated signal transduction pathways.

Convenient syntheses of oligonucleotides linked to 5-deazaflavin coenzyme models at 3'-end. Incorporation of 5-deazaflavin to controlled pore glass (CPG) support

Using CPG support linked with 5-deazaflavin, the 5-deazaflavin modified oligodeoxynucleotides at 3'-end(ODN-dF1) were synthesized. The thermal stability of the duplex of ODN-dF1 with its complement was higher than that of oligonucleotide linked to 5-deazaflavin at 5'-end internucleotide linkage.

The effects of prostacyclin analog OP-41483 on normothermic liver ischemia and reperfusion injury in rats

To estimate the effects of the prostacyclin analog (OP-41483) on normothermic liver ischemia and reperfusion injury, saline (Group 1, N = 8), heparin (group 2, N = 8, 100 u/kg) or OP-41483 (group 3, N = 8, 400 ng/kg/min) was infused intravenously for 30 min before and after liver ischemia in rats. There were no significant differences in survival, or transaminase at 30 min after reperfusion among the three groups. Hepatic vessel flow and tissue flow were measured for the first 30 min after reperfusion. Hepatic tissue flow increased for the first 30 min after reperfusion in the group 3 rats, but not in the groups 2 and 3 rats. There were significant differences in hepatic tissue flow between the groups 1 and 3 rats at 20 min (p < 0.05), as well as significant differences between the groups 1 and 3 rats (p < 0.01) and the groups 1 and 2 rats (p < 0.05) at 30 min after reperfusion. There were no significant differences in total hepatic inflow among the three groups. Our data suggest that OP-41483 exerts beneficial effects by improving the microcirculation and increasing the effective hepatic blood flow in the ischemically injured liver after reperfusion.

Perineural invasion of carcinoma of the pancreas and biliary tract

Carcinoma of the pancreatobiliary system often produces perineural invasion extending to extrabiliary and extrapancreatic sites. A surgical technique has been developed to manage this invasion and has been used since 1974. Serial sections were prepared from 90 resected specimens and examined for perineural involvement of intramural and extramural biliary plexuses as well as the pancreatic nerve plexus. Perineural invasion was seen in 34 of 40 patients with carcinoma of the common bile duct, in ten of 14 with cancer of the gallbladder and in four of 15 with carcinoma of the papilla of Vater. Invasion extended to the extramural biliary or pancreatic nerve plexuses in 24 of 40 patients with carcinoma of the bile duct. Involvement of the intrapancreatic nerves was seen in all 21 patients with carcinoma of the pancreatic head and that of the pancreatic nerve plexus in 17 of 21. Perineural invasion was often found at the most progressive margin of the tumour. The survival rate of patients with perineural invasion was low compared with that of those without such invasion, although survival of patients with perineural invasion tended to be longer after extensive resection. The perineural space should be regarded as an important route for the spread of pancreatic and biliary carcinoma.

Multifocal intraductal papillary adenocarcinoma of the pancreas: report of a case

This paper describes a case of a mucin-producing tumor of the pancreas, histologically diagnosed as multifocal intraductal papillary adenocarcinoma. The patient had a markedly dilated main pancreatic duct, detected by ultrasound (US) and computed tomography (CT), and endoscopy showed a papillary tumor projecting from the patulous orifice of the enlarged papilla of Vater. Several biopsies taken from the tumor indicated a diagnosis of papillary adenocarcinoma. Total pancreatectomy was thus performed, revealing a multifocal papillary tumor growing along the main duct in the head, body, and tail of the pancreas. Microscopically, these multiple tumors were found to be mucin-producing papillary adenocarcinoma of the main and subsidiary pancreatic ducts with nodular and microfocal periductal invasion. The surgical treatment of multifocal tumors, may therefore necessitate total pancreatectomy to achieve curative resection, in some cases.

Relation of epidermal growth factor receptor concentration to growth of human esophageal cancer cell lines

The relation between the concentration of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor and the effects of EGF on cell proliferation were studied using 16 newly established human esophageal cancer cell lines. According to 125I-EGF binding assay, the amount of EGF receptor was found to vary from 6 x 10(4) to 1.2 x 10(7) (sites/cell). Changes in EGF-stimulated tyrosine-specific protein kinase activity almost paralleled changes in the number of EGF receptors per cell. Amplification of EGF receptor gene was detected in only one cell line. Under monolayer culture conditions, we found three types of growth responses of esophageal cell lines to EGF; growth in 5 cell lines was inhibited and that in 4 cell lines was stimulated while that in the other 7 cell lines remained unaffected. Relation was observed between the number of EGF receptors per cell and the growth response to EGF. On the other hand, cell lines whose growth was inhibited by EGF in monolayer culture were stimulated by EGF in soft agar culture, though the opposite was not necessarily true.

Differential regional responses of myocardial interstitial noradrenaline levels to coronary occlusion

OBJECTIVE

The aim was to investigate the influence of coronary occlusion on myocardial interstitial noradrenaline levels in the ischaemic and non-ischaemic regions, using the dialysis technique.

METHODS

In nine anaesthetised cats, regional ischaemia was produced by occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery for 90 min. Using the dialysis technique, dialysates were sampled from both the ischaemic region and the nonischaemic left circumflex coronary artery region. Dialysate noradrenaline concentrations, as an index of myocardial interstitial noradrenaline content, were measured by high performance liquid chromatography. Myocardial blood flows in the ischaemic and non-ischaemic regions were measured by the hydrogen clearance method.

RESULTS

In the non-ischaemic region, neither myocardial blood flow nor dialysate noradrenaline concentration showed significant change. In the ischaemic region, myocardial blood flow decreased significantly, from 117(SEM 12) at control to 23(3) ml.min-1 x 100 g-1, and dialysate noradrenaline concentration increased significantly, from 56.8(4.5) pg.ml-1 at control to 528.8(155.4) pg.ml-1 at 0-30 min of occlusion, 4212.0(1447.7) pg.ml-1 at 30-60 min, and 4179.8(1668.5) pg.ml-1 at 60-90 min. At 0-30 min of the reperfusion period, dialysate noradrenaline concentration in the postischaemic region decreased significantly to 420.2(152.1) pg.ml-1.

CONCLUSIONS

Coronary occlusion increased myocardial interstitial noradrenaline levels in the ischaemic region, but not in the non-ischaemic region.

Isolation and characterization of a novel member of the gene family encoding the cAMP response element-binding protein CRE-BP1

Among multiple CRE (cyclic AMP response element)-binding proteins, CRE-BP1 (also designated ATF-2) has two unique characteristics: it mediates the adenovirus E1A-induced trans-activation and forms a heterodimer with c-Jun. Two structures, a putative metal finger and a leucine zipper, in CRE-BP1 are responsible for these capacities. As a new member of a CRE-BP1 family that has similar metal finger and leucine zipper structures, we have isolated cDNA clones of CRE-BPa by cross-hybridization with CRE-BP1 cDNA. CRE-BPa protein consists of 508 amino acids and has a molecular weight of 56,840. CRE-BPa protein is highly homologous with CRE-BP1 in four regions: two of them are the regions containing the putative metal finger or the DNA-binding domain consisting of the basic amino acid cluster and the leucine zipper. Like CRE-BP1, CRE-BPa binds to CRE with higher affinity than to the 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate response element as a homodimer or a CRE-BPa/c-Jun or CRE-BPa/CRE-BP1 heterodimer. However, using the c-Myb-CRE-BPa fusion protein, it was show that CRE-BPa could not mediate the E1A-induced trans-activation. Expression of CRE-BPa mRNA was found in a limited number of cell lines, and multiple sizes of CRE-BPa mRNA species were detected in some cell lines and tissues. CRE-BPa will be useful to clarify the mechanism of CRE-mediated transcriptional activation by E1A or c-Jun.

Immunopurified Rb protein inhibits SV40 T antigen-dependent stimulation of DNA polymerase alpha

It has been shown that purified SV40 large T antigen (Tag) forms a complex with both human and calf thymus DNA polymerase alpha and stimulates its activity. Furthermore, Tag has also been found to complex with purified human Rb protein. Here, we show the effect of Rb protein on the stimulation of DNA polymerase alpha by Tag, in an in vitro system using either purified human or calf thymus DNA polymerase alpha and either primed single-stranded M13 DNA or calf thymus-activated DNA. Both human and calf thymus enzymes were dose-dependently stimulated several fold by Tag. The stimulation was also observed in the coupled reaction of primase and polymerase alpha, using unprimed single-stranded M13 DNA. These stimulatory effects were, however, completely abolished by preincubating Tag with an equimolar amount of Rb protein. Primase activity of DNA polymerase alpha-primase complex was also stimulated by Tag, and this stimulation was abolished by the presence of Rb protein. In contrast, free primase was not affected by either Tag or Rb protein. Kinetic analysis revealed that in the presence of Tag the apparent Km for the template of either human or calf DNA polymerase alpha was decreased by approximately 2.5-fold and the Vmax was increased twofold, whereas Tag complexed with Rb protein did not affect the Km or the Vmax. These results suggest a competition between Rb protein and DNA polymerase alpha for binding to Tag, which may be a key step for the initiation of SV40 DNA replication.

Probable role of Streptococcus pyogenes in Kawasaki disease

Over the past 25 years, the clinical course of Kawasaki disease has been defined, the prevalence and nature of the cardiovascular effects widely understood, and pathological changes in the most severe cases well described. However, the aetiology and pathogenesis of this puzzling disease have remained unclear, thus specific therapy is not yet available. Because of some close clinical similarities between this disease and streptococcal scarlet fever, particular attention has been paid to the possible role of Streptococcus pyogenes as an aetiological agent in this illness. Until now, however, group A beta-haemolytic streptococci have never been consistently isolated from any patients; in addition, the titre of anti-streptolysin 0 is not raised, and lack of response to antibiotics is a feature of this disease. Our long series of investigations over more than 10 years, which will be covered in the present review, were performed in an attempt at elucidating causative agent(s) of Kawasaki disease. This has led to our firm belief in the probable role of S. pyogenes in the pathogenesis of this disease, despite the lack of fulfillment of Koch's postulates, on the basis of the following findings. Patients with Kawasaki disease recovering from the acute, febrile phase of the illness exhibited an exaggerated cell-mediated reactivity, as measured by the macrophage migration inhibition test, to group A beta-haemolytic streptococci, their pyrogenic exotoxin and streptolysin 0 as well as to several mammalian muscle cell extracts which are allegedly related antigenically to the cell wall and/or cytoplasmic membrane of S. pyogenes. Protoplast-like "spherical bodies" varying in diameter from 0.5 to 1.5 microns, and devoid of cell walls, were detected in the buffy coats of peripheral blood from patients with this disease, and stained distinctly by immuno-electron microscopy using, as a primary antibody, a rabbit antiserum to S. pyogenes- derived protoplasts, and followed by absorption with protoplasts from Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Newborn mice infected with S. pyogenes having no capacity to confer cell-mediated immunity even in adult murine hosts, and reinfected 4-6 weeks later with another strain of the same species of bacteria which is able to elicit cellular immunity, showed a lack of humoral response to streptococcal antigens, leaving intact cell-mediated immunity. Such a biased immunological characteristic is an exact counterpart of that of Kawasaki disease patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)