Linkage and haplotype analysis of familial early-onset Alzheimer disease in Japanese population

Linkage and haplotype analysis of eleven early-onset Alzheimer disease (AD) families was performed in relation to D21S210 and microsatellite DNA polymorphisms localized on chromosome 14q24.3. Linkage analysis of eight informative families out of eleven early-onset AD families disclosed the highest LOD score of 3.45 (theta = 0.00) at D14S77, while the locus of beta/A4 amyloid protein precursor gene was formally excluded within 10 cM from D21S210, given the evidence of recombinations in five families. Transmission disequilibrium study between the patients and controls without dementia indicated significant differences at D14S43 (p = 0.0001) and D14S71 (p = 0.02). Association study between genotypes linked or related to onset of AD and those of control also revealed a significant difference at D14S43 (p < 0.05), suggesting the existence of linkage disequilibrium. Moreover, the haplotypes at D14S43 linked with the onset of AD indicated a significant relationship with the mean age at onset. These results support that the major locus of early-onset familial AD is located on 14q24.3, and its close linkage to D14S43 and the existence of allelic heterogeneity were suggested.

Nucleotide sequence of the cDNA encoding the proenzyme of phenol oxidase A1 of Drosophila melanogaster

Clones encoding pro-phenol oxidase [pro-PO; zymogen of phenol oxidase (monophenol, L-dopa:oxygen oxidoreductase, EC 1.14.18.1)] A1 were isolated from a lambda gt10 library that originated from Drosophila melanogaster strain Oregon-R male adults. The 2294 bp of the cDNA included a 13-bp 5'-noncoding region, a 2070-bp encoding open reading frame of 690 amino acids, and a 211-bp 3'-noncoding region. A hydrophobic NH2-terminal sequence for a signal peptide is absent in the protein. Furthermore, there are six potential N-glycosylation sites in the sequence, but no amino sugar was detected in the purified protein by amino acid analysis, indicating the lack of an N-linked sugar chain. The potential copper-binding sites, amino acids 200-248 and 359-414, are highly homologous to the corresponding sites of hemocyanin of the tarantula Eurypelma californicum, the horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus, and the spiny lobster Panulirus interruptus. On the basis of the phylogenetic tree constructed by the neighbor-joining method, vertebrate tyrosinases and molluscan hemocyanins constitute one family, whereas pro-POs and arthropod hemocyanins group with another family. It seems, therefore, likely that pro-PO originates from a common ancestor with arthropod hemocyanins, independently to the vertebrate and microbial tyrosinases.

Prevention of recurrent bleeding from gastric ulcer with a nonbleeding visible vessel by endoscopic injection of absolute ethanol: a prospective, controlled trial

We performed a prospective, randomized trial to assess the efficacy of endoscopic injection therapy with absolute ethanol in preventing recurrent bleeding in patients with nonbleeding visible vessels in gastric ulcers. During the period of 1990 to 1993, 62 patients who bled were found to have gastric ulcers with nonbleeding visible vessels; all of them were enrolled for this trial. The 62 patients were randomly divided into two groups, which were comparable at entry. In group I (33 patients), we performed endoscopic injection therapy with absolute ethanol. In group II (29 patients), we sprayed the ulcers with 0.1% epinephrine and thrombin. Endoscopic injection therapy with ethanol was performed at the second endoscopy in the patients in both groups who had recurrent bleeding. Among the 33 patients in group I, 4 patients (12.1%) rebled after the initial ethanol injection therapy, whereas 10 of 29 patients (34.5%) rebled in the control group (p < .05). No patients in group I required surgical intervention, and ultimate hemostasis was achieved in all 33 group I patients (100%), indicating that endoscopic ethanol injection therapy achieves ultimate hemostasis and prevents recurrent bleeding in patients with gastric ulcers and nonbleeding visible vessels.

Pericyte-endothelial gap junctions in developing rat cerebral capillaries: a fine structural study

BACKGROUND

Fine structural study revealed the intercellular coupling between the pericyte and the endothelial cells via the gap junctions, in the capillaries of the basal forebrain of rat embryos.

RESULTS

Gap junctions were constructed by the adluminal plasmalemma of pericyte and the abluminal plasmalemma of endothelial cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Gap junctions are membranous channels that directly join the cytoplasms of the pericyte and endothelial cell and imply some substantial role for the pericyte on the endothelial proliferation. It is postulated that the function of the pericyte in the prenatal mammals are assigned to the regulation of the development of cerebral microcirculation.

[Prognostic predictors in colorectal cancer]

The prognostic significance of clinicopathologic factors in colorectal cancer was evaluated in a multivariate analysis. The most important independent factor affecting survival was stage (depth of penetration through the bowel wall and the presence of positive lymph nodes). All other clinicopathologic factors were of less importance than stage in determining prognosis. Although the prognostic relevance of biologic and molecular variables has been investigated extensively, the importance of these factors as prognostic predictors remains uncertain and further studies are needed.

[Trial of combined cytosine arabinoside with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor therapy or refractory acute myeloid leukemia]

Thirteen cases, including 10 relapse cases, of refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (aged 17-70, median 46) by cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) combined with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) simultaneously to enhance the sensitivity to Ara-C. Low dose Ara-C (10-40 mg/day) combined with G-CSF was administered in most of them. Complete (CR) and partial remission (PR) were achieved in 5 and 4 patients, respectively, and response (CR + PR) rate was 69.2%. We obtained 5 CRs and 3 PRs in 10 patients with relapsed AML. However, CR and PR duration was short in all cases. None of the 3 patients with MO, AML transformed from myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), and de novo AML with trilineage myelodysplasia (TMDS) had any response. There was no leukemic colony formation in the culture medium containing G-CSF in the nonresponding patients. The combination therapy caused severe myelosuppression, and most patients experienced prolonged neutropenia, and suffered from infections. In some patients enhanced chemosensitivity of leukemic cells induced by G-CSF was indicated but, the effect of this approach must be determined by large scale controlled studies.

Eosinophil activation in patients with pulmonary fibrosis

The eosinophil count and concentrations of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) were measured in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), pulmonary fibrosis associated with a collagen vascular disorder (PF-CVD), sarcoidosis, and healthy controls. The patients with IPF and PF-CVD showed significant increased eosinophil count and ECP levels in BALF compared with the controls. When the patients with IPF and PF-CVD were subclassified into chronic stable, progressive, and acute progressive subgroups in accordance with the observed progression of pulmonary dysfunction during the preceding 3- to 6-month period, those in the acute progressive subgroup showed significantly elevated recovered eosinophil count and ECP level, as well as recovered lymphocyte count and total protein, albumin, and type III procollagen aminoterminal peptide-related antigens (pIIIp) in BALF, compared with either of the other two subgroups. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed that, among these variables, only ECP and pIIIp significantly contributed to discrimination among the three subgroups differing in disease activity. These findings suggest that eosinophils are involved in the inflammatory process in pulmonary fibrosis and that the released ECP and other cytotoxic eosinophil products may contribute to the lung injury and development of fibrosis.

Purification and characterization of beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase from Alteromonas sp. strain O-7

beta-N-Acetylglucosaminidase (EC 3.2.1.30) was purified from the outer membrane of a marine bacterium, Alteromonas sp. strain O-7. The enzyme (GlcNAcase A) was purified by successive column chromatographies. The purified enzyme was found to be homogeneous on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The molecular mass and pI of GlcNAcase A were 92kDa and 4.9, respectively. The optimum pH and temperature were 6.0-7.0 and 45 degrees C, respectively. GlcNAcase A was stable up to 40 degrees C at pH 7.0, and hydrolyzed N-acetylchitooligosaccharides from dimer to hexamer. The amino-terminal 16 amino acid residues of GlcNAcase A were sequenced.

Trigeminal neuralgia associated with venous angioma--case report

A 35-year-old male presented with trigeminal neuralgia associated with venous angioma at the root entry zone. Magnetic resonance imaging and angiography demonstrated a venous angioma with a dilated petrosal draining vein, and displacement of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA). The AICA and dilated petrosal vein were both decompressed, resulting in complete relief from symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia for 30 months. Microvascular decompression rather than resection of venous angioma is recommended for treatment of such cases. The possibility of a venous anomaly should be considered in younger patients with trigeminal neuralgia.

Histamine effect on ornithine decarboxylase of rat intestine in cases of ischemia-reperfusion compared with refeeding

Our previous study suggested that histamine might enhance the increase of ornithine decarboxylase activity in injured intestinal mucosa. To test this hypothesis, we measured histamine content in mesenteric lymph and ornithine decarboxylase activity in intestinal mucosa after ischemia-reperfusion in the rat. We examined the effect of alpha-fluoromethylhistidine, a suicide inhibitor of histidine decarboxylase, on ornithine decarboxylase activity after ischemia-reperfusion and compared this with its effect on the rat after refeeding. Ischemia-reperfusion was performed by 15-min occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery. After ischemia-reperfusion, histamine content in mesenteric lymph increased, and this increase was completely suppressed by alpha-fluoromethylhistidine pretreatment. In contrast to ischemia-reperfusion, histamine content in mesenteric lymph did not change after refeeding. Ornithine decarboxylase activity increased markedly 3 and 6 hr after ischemia-reperfusion and refeeding, whereas alpha-fluoromethylhistidine attenuated the increase in ornithine decarboxylase activity only in the ischemia-reperfusion group. These results indicate that increase in histamine synthesis in the intestinal mucosa plays an important role in the increase of ornithine decarboxylase activity after ischemia-reperfusion but that histamine is not related to the increase in ornithine decarboxylase activity after refeeding.

[A case of chronic eosinophilic pneumonia involving IL-5 and GM-CSF]

A 57-year-old woman was admitted because of dry cough and middle-grade fever. Chest rentogenogram showed a diffuse infiltrative shadow in the right middle and lower lung fields. The symptoms disappeared after treatment with minocycline, but a new dense shadow appeared in the right upper and middle lung fields. Eosinophilic pneumonia was diagnosed from the results of bronchoalveolar lavage and transbronchial lung biopsy. The symptoms were alleviated and the infiltrative shadow was effaced after treatment with predonisolone (40 mg/day). The results of a biopsy with human eosinophils suggested that the serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid contained IL-5 and GM-CSF.

Increased angiotensin converting enzyme activity in left ventricular aneurysm of patients after myocardial infarction

OBJECTIVE

Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have been shown to improve left ventricular dysfunction and survival in patients with chronic myocardial infarction. The aim of this study was to examine the ACE activity in infarcted tissues in such patients in comparison with non-diseased tissues from control subjects obtained at necropsy.

METHODS

ACE activity was measured in the left ventricles and right atrial auricles of patients (n = 9) with chronic myocardial infarction obtained at left ventricular aneurysmectomy, and in the hearts of control subjects at necropsy (n = 10).

RESULTS

In non-diseased hearts, the ACE activity was highest in right atria and auricles [2.4(SEM 0.2), 2.2(0.3) nmol.mg-1 protein.min-1, NS, respectively], followed by left atria [1.7(0.2)], left auricles [1.5(0.1)], right ventricles [1.0(0.2)], and left ventricles [0.5(0.1)]. The ACE activity was significantly increased in aneurysmal tissues of patients with chronic myocardial infarction relative to left ventricles of control subjects [4.2(0.4) v 0.5(0.1) nmol.mg-1 protein.min-1, P < 0.01]. There was, however, no difference in the ACE activity of right atrial auricles between patients with chronic myocardial infarction and control subjects [2.8(0.5) v 2.2(0.3), NS]. In patients with chronic myocardial infarction, the ACE activity was higher in left ventricles than in right auricles (P < 0.01). The ACE activities in the infarcted and control ventricles were negatively correlated with the membrane protein content (r = -0.77, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

In non-diseased human hearts, the ACE activity is higher in atria than in ventricles and higher in the right than in the left ventricle. Furthermore, the ACE activity in aneurysmal left ventricular tissue after myocardial infarction is higher than in non-diseased left ventricular myocardium. These results suggest that the local ACE in the human heart may play an important role in the pathophysiological state after myocardial infarction.

[A case of patent urachus]

A case of congenital patent urachus is reported. A 12-month-old boy was referred to our outpatient clinic with the complaint of watery discharge from the navel. A cystography revealed the communication between the dome of the urinary bladder and the umbilicus. Excretion from the umbilicus of indigocarmine solution instilled into the urinary bladder was recognized. There were no complicated abnormalities in other organs. The patient underwent radical operation. Herein, we collected 164 cases of urachal disorders reported in Japan and reviewed the incidence, clinical symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. The classifications of the disease were briefly discussed.

Neuronal mechanism underlying dystonia induced by bicuculline injection into the putamen of the cat

Microinjection of bicuculline (Bic) into the unilateral putamen (Put) of the cat resulted in periodic occurrence of contralateral movement of the head (dystonia). Corresponding to this dystonic movement, repetitive spikes of the field potential occurring in the Put of the injected side and strong inhibition of the extracellularly recorded unit discharges in the neurons of the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) of the same side were observed.

Effects of surface modification of materials on human neutrophil activation

The properties of a polymer surface affect the cellular functions and morphology of cells in contact with the polymer. In this paper, we will demonstrate the effects of surface modification of materials on various neutrophil markers of activation. The sulfonation of a polystyrene surface caused increases in its negative charge and hydrophilicity. The sulfonation did not affect the number of adhered neutrophils, but the shape of the neutrophils adhered on the material was different; a round shape on highly sulfonated polystyrene and a spread shape on weakly sulfonated or non-sulfonated polystyrene. Expression of the adhesion molecule, CD11b, on neutrophils was also affected by the properties of the polymer surface. CD11b was expressed in neutrophils adhered on polystyrene and the expression decreased with increasing sulfonation of the surface. The expression of CD11b on the neutrophils on highly sulfonated polystyrene was the same as that on non-adhered neutrophils. In contrast, the expression of CD11a was not affected by the properties of the material surface. The F-actin content of activated neutrophils and the production of active oxygen groups detected by means of luminol-dependent chemiluminescence were also dependent on the sulfo-group content of the material surface. Finally, the translocation of protein kinase C (PKC) was determined in neutrophils adhered to these materials. Compared to non-adhered cells, the ratio of membrane bound to cytosolic PKC increased in adhered cells, but the increase was suppressed by sulfonation of the material surface. These data suggest that activation of neutrophils on polystyrene is suppressed by surface modification with increasing negative charge and/or hydrophilicity.

Neutrophil elastase inhibitor reduces asthmatic responses in allergic sheep

To determine the role of neutrophil elastase in asthmatic responses, we studied the effect of ONO-5046, a specific neutrophil elastase inhibitor, on antigen-induced asthmatic responses in allergic sheep. Pulmonary resistance (RL) was measured for 8 h after antigen challenge. Measurements of airway responsiveness to methacholine and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were obtained 8 h after challenge. Antigen challenge caused early and late increases in RL, airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), and recruitment of neutrophils and eosinophils along with increases in TXB2 and LTB4 in BALF. ONO-5046 treatment significantly reduced both early and late bronchoconstriction, neutrophil recruitment, increases in LTB4 in BALF, and AHR. ONO-5046 post-treatment significantly reduced the increase in RL 8 h after antigen challenge. Another neutrophil elastase inhibitor, FR 134043, significantly reduced both early and late bronchoconstriction. ONO-5046 had little effect on calcium ionophore-induced LTB4 release from isolated neutrophils and whole blood obtained from drug-treated sheep. These findings suggest that neutrophil elastase is involved in antigen-induced bronchoconstriction and AHR mediated by neutrophil accumulation and 5-lipoxygenase products in allergic sheep.