Immunostaining for calcineurin, a Ca2+/calmodulin-regulated protein phosphatase, in the diagnostic tumor pathology

The present immunochemical study concerns the distribution of calcineurin (CaN), a Ca2+/calmodulin-regulated protein phosphatase, in the nervous and neuroendocrine systems of mammals, and discloses the CaN-immunostaining results of human neoplasms. CaN immunoreactivity (ir) was present throughout the nervous system with a marked regional variation in strength of the staining intensity. Light microscopic observations showed that CaN-ir was localized in neurons, but was not detected in non-neuronal cells including astrocytes. Ultrastructural study also revealed that CaN-ir was present only in neuronal elements such as somata, dendrites including postsynaptic densities and spines, and nerve terminals. CaN-ir was also detected in neuroendocrine cells of some endocrine tissues including the pineal gland, pituitary gland, adrenal grand, pancreas and thyroid gland. Immunostaining results of 107 surgical specimens of human neoplasms, including 9 cases of peripheral tumors, disclosed that CaN-immunopositive tumor cells were found to be present in the neuronal tumors including neuroblastomas, ganglioglioma, ganglioneuroma, ganglioneuroblastoma, retinoblastomas, medulloblastomas and central neurocytomas. Also, some neuroendocrine tumors, such as pineocytomas, olfactory neuroblastomas and paragangliomas, specifically reacted for anti-CaN antibody. On the basis of these immunochemical findings, we have proposed that CaN can be a marker protein for detection of neuronal and neuroendocrine tumor cells in the diagnostic pathology of human neoplasms.

Central neurocytoma with hemorrhagic onset

A case of central neurocytoma with spontaneous intraventricular hemorrhage is reported. A 23-year-old man, 2 years after experiencing intraventricular hemorrhage, developed severe headaches. The magnetic resonance image showed a mixed intense mass in the lateral ventricle with associated hydrocephalus. The tumor mass was totally removed. The tumor was histologically diagnosed as central neurocytoma. Review of the computed tomography taken 2 years ago showed not only the hemorrhage but also a mass in the left lateral ventricle. This emphasizes that central neurocytoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with either intraventricular hemorrhage or hemorrhagic tumor.

In vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities of Q-35, a novel fluoroquinolone

Q-35, a new fluoroquinolone, was evaluated for its in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities. In vitro antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria was almost equal to that of sparfloxacin or tosufloxacin, but its activity against gram-negative bacteria was 2 times or more lower than that of other quinolones tested. In experimental septicemia, the in vivo activity of Q-35 reflected its in vitro antibacterial activity. In respiratory tract infections with Streptococcus pneumoniae TMS-3 in mice, Q-35 showed a therapeutic effect similar to sparfloxacin and tosufloxacin. Q-35 showed almost the same activity as that of ofloxacin in mice with pyelonephritic infection due to Escherichia coli TMS-3. The peak levels of Q-35 in murine serum, lungs and kidneys after a single oral administration were intermediate compared to those of tested quinolones.

Characterization of serum proteins down-regulated by peroxisome proliferators: transient repression of apoE gene expression in the rat liver

The effects of peroxisome proliferators on the levels of rat serum proteins were examined. The proliferators reduced the levels of several proteins in various ways with respect to proliferator-specificity and the time courses of the changes. The identification of three proteins by amino acid sequencing showed that they were functionally unrelated. This diversity suggests that several primary and secondary effects of the peroxisome proliferators caused the various changes in the levels of several serum proteins. Among these, apolipoprotein E was the most but transiently down-regulated by the two proliferators tested. Northern blots of the rat liver mRNA suggested that the primary step of the down-regulation was at pre-translation.

Binding mode of N,N',N",N"'-tetraacetylchitotetraitol to hen egg white lysozyme

The binding of N,N',N",N"'-tetraacetylchitotetraitol [(GlcNAc)4-ol] to hen egg white lysozyme was investigated by fluorescence and 1H NMR spectroscopy. From observation of changes in the fluorescence intensity, the association constants of (GlcNAc)4-ol and (GlcNAc)3 were found to be 0.70 x 10(5) and 1.07 x 10(5) M-1, respectively, at pH 5.0 and 30 degrees C. The lack of a substantial difference between the association constants suggests that the binding mode of the (GlcNAc)3 moiety of (GlcNAc)4-ol is basically similar to that of (GlcNAc)3, but that the N-acetylglucosaminitol residue of (GlcNAC)4-ol does not interact significantly with lysozyme. On the other hand, 1H NMR spectroscopy revealed a minor difference in the binding modes of the two saccharides. For most of the 1H signals responding to saccharide binding, such as those of Trp 63 H2, Trp 28 H5, and Ile 98 H gamma 1, the chemical shift changes induced by (GlcNAc)4-ol were almost identical to those induced by (GlcNAc)3. However, the effect of binding on the signals of Asn 59 H alpha and Trp 108 indole N1H, which are located near subsite C, was different for (GlcNAc)4-ol and (GlcNAc)3. Thus it is inferred that the binding mode of the first sugar residue of (GlcNAc)4-ol to subsite C is somewhat different from that of (GlcNAc)3.

Change of phosphotyrosine immunoreactivity on microglia in the rat substantia nigra following striatal ischemic injury

Using immunohistochemistry, we investigated changes in phosphotyrosine (P-Tyr) immunoreactivity on the microglia of the rat substantia nigra (SN) following striatal ischemic injury produced by transient middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion. Anterograde axonal degeneration in the SN due to striatal ischemic injury was detected by depletion of calcineurin immunoreactivity in that region from 1 day after operation. From 3 days to 1 month (the longest period examined in this study) after MCA occlusion, there was a significant increase in P-Tyr immunoreactivity in the SN ipsilateral to the MCA occlusion. Also, light microscopic observation showed that the microglia exhibited an increased immunoreactivity for P-Tyr and characteristic morphological changes in the ipsilateral SN. The present results indicate that a signal transducing cascade(s) associated with tyrosine phosphorylation may be involved in the activation of the microglia in the SN responding to anterograde degeneration of the striatonigral pathway.

[Penetrating keratoplasty for keratoconus in a case of Down's syndrome]

We report a Down's syndrome patient who underwent penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) surgery. The patient was a 62-year-old female who had Down's syndrome with severe bilateral keratokonus and cataract. Her visual acuity was very poor as she did everything by touch before the surgery. We performed a triple procedure surgery, i.e., PKP, extracapsular cataract extraction, and posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation in her left eye. After the surgery her visual behavior improved markedly. This case shows that PKP surgery can be performed on such handicapped patients who are difficult handle in emergencies and need general anesthesia, because we have been able to keep the donor cornea longer than usual. We conclude that we should actively perform the PKP surgery for the handicapped if the patient does not have self-damaging behavior and if there is cooperation of the family and the medical staff.

Elevation of alkaline phosphatase activity induced by parathyroid hormone in osteoblast-like cells from the spinal hyperostotic mouse TWY (twy/twy)

We have examined the alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity of primary calvaria-derived osteoblast-like cells from the twy (tip-toe walking Yoshimura) and normal ICR control mouse. The twy mouse displays elevated osseous formation particularly in the spine, and the pathophysiological features resemble that of human ankylosing spinal hyperostosis. In the proliferative stage of cultured bone cells, parathyroid hormone (PTH) stimulation induced the elevation of AP activity of both twy and ICR mouse-derived cells. When they reached confluence, the AP activity of ICR mouse-derived cells ceased to increase with PTH stimulation. The twy mouse-derived cells, however, continued to respond to PTH, with the enzyme activity increasing even in the confluent, stationary stage. PTH stimulation also increased the intracellular cAMP content of twy mouse-derived cells but it did not influence that of ICR mouse-derived cells in the stationary stage. Moreover, stimulation with dibutyryl cAMP, but not with phorbol myristate acetate, increased the AP activity of both twy and ICR-derived bone cells irrespective of culture conditions, either in the proliferative or in the confluent stage. These data suggest that the protein kinase A-mediated pathway plays a pivotal role in bone cells with PTH stimulation, and that the uninhibited AP activity observed in twy mouse-derived bone cells might be due to some deviating process between the PTH ligand/receptor interaction and cAMP generation.

Migration of donor cells into the thymus is not essential for induction and maintenance of systemic tolerance after liver transplantation in the rat

In this study, we show that cells encoded by donor-type major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I antigens effectively migrate into the thymus of the host after liver transplantation. However, the thymus is not essential for the induction and maintenance of tolerance after orthotopic rat liver transplantation (OLT). Liver allografted rats in the DA(RT1a) into PVG (RT1c) combination survived without immunosuppressive agents. The thymus of the host showed a transitory atrophy and returned to normal weight 4 weeks after OLT. Donor antigens were detected in the host thymus after OLT. Adult PVG rats that had been thymectomized 1 week before implantation of DA liver grafts showed liver graft survival without immunosuppression. DA heart grafts were heterotopically transplanted into the PVG thymectomized, liver-grafted rats 1-4 weeks after OLT. No rejection of the cardiac allografts was observed. Systemic tolerance was induced and maintained in the absence of the thymus.

Suppression of gelatinase production with decreased invasiveness of choriocarcinoma cells by human recombinant interferon beta

OBJECTIVE

Choriocarcinoma is a highly invasive gynecologic tumor, and hematogenous metastases frequently develop. To establish a molecular basis for antiinvasion therapy of choriocarcinoma, we examined the effects of human recombinant interferons on gelatinase production and invasion by choriocarcinoma cells.

STUDY DESIGN

Using five choriocarcinoma cell lines, we measured gelatinase activity by gelatin zymography. The effects of recombinant interferons (rIFN-alpha, rIFN-beta, and rIFN-gamma) were then analyzed by Western blot analysis and chemoinvasion assay.

RESULTS

High levels of 72 kd gelatinase activity were detected in the highly invasive choriocarcinoma cell lines, two of which also contained an active form of 72 kd gelatinase with an apparent molecular mass of 68 kd. Gelatinase production was decreased by incubation with rIFN-beta. In the chemoinvasion assay, only rIFN-beta had an inhibitory effect on the invasiveness of tumor cells without a cytotoxic effect.

CONCLUSION

Choriocarcinoma cells showed high 72 kd gelatinase activity, which suggested a role for the enzyme in vascular metastasis. Studies on the use of rIFN-beta to inhibit metastasis of choriocarcinoma via suppression of gelatinase production are warranted.

Preparation and evaluation of Eudragit gels. VIII. Rectal absorption of 5-fluorouracil from Eudispert hv gels in rats

Rectal absorption of the hydrophilic 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in rats was studied with Eudispert hv gels with or without fatty acids as the rectal bases. In the absence of fatty acids, absolute bioavailabilities of 5-FU for Eudispert hv hydrogel and xerogel preparations increased approximately 2.5 times compared with those of Witepsol H-15 and PEG 2000 suppositories. When n-capric acid or linolenic acid was used as an absorption enhancer, absolute bioavailabilities of 5-FU were, respectively, 25.5 and 30.9% for Witepsol H-15 and 64.4 and 66.1% for PEG 2000. Furthermore, the absolute bioavailabilities of 5-FU for Eudispert hv hydrogel with n-capric acid or linolenic acid were 95.6% and 81.7%. The addition of capric acid or linolenic acid to the hydrogel was a useful method for increasing 5-FU permeability through the rectal membranes. These results are consistent with the observation that the total amounts of 5-FU remaining in the lumenal contents of the rectum and that accumulated in the rectal tissue decreased in relation to the increase in the bioavailabilities. Thus, the Eudispert hv hydrogel containing 5-FU with capric acid may be a useful rectal preparation for increasing the maximum plasma level and improving the absolute bioavailability of 5-FU.

Effect of long-term fluvoxamine treatment on endogenous serotonin uptake inhibitor-like substance in monkey cerebrospinal fluid

We found that substances present in monkey cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) could inhibit [3H]-paroxetine binding in monkey brain preparations. The molecular weight of one of these inhibitory substances was approximately 2000, which is in agreement with earlier studies using human CSF. We also found that the inhibitory effect of the substances present in monkey CSF on [3H]-paroxetine binding decreased after 8 weeks of chronic fluvoxamine (5 mg/kg day, p.o.) treatment. These results suggest that the ability of a drug to decrease the activity of endogenous 5-HT uptake modulators may related to its antidepressive effects.

Striatal cells containing the Ca(2+)-binding protein calretinin (protein 10) in ischemia-induced neuronal injury

The present study concerns the vulnerability of striatal interneurons immunopositive for the Ca(2+)-binding protein calretinin to ischemic neuronal injury. An immunohistochemical study was carried out on the striata of rats which had undergone transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. Two weeks after the ischemia, there was a marked reduction in the number of calretinin-positive neurons in the ipsilateral ischemic lesion, although the striatal interneurons positive for parvalbumin, which are a neuronal population distinct from the calretinin-immunoreactive cells in the striatum, were spared in the insulted areas. The present data indicate that the striatal calretinin-positive neurons are less resistant to transient ischemia, suggesting that there may exist vulnerability differences among the striatal interneurons in ischemia-induced neuronal injury.

Association of human leukocyte antigen-B1*03 with cervical cancer in Japanese women aged 35 years and younger

BACKGROUND

An association of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DQw3 alleles with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the cervix has been reported in some European populations, but the significance of HLA-DQw3 has not been examined in other populations to the authors' knowledge. The interaction between HLA-DQw3 and human papillomavirus (HPV) in SCC remains to be clarified.

METHODS

To elucidate the association of HLA-DQ alleles with SCC of the cervix, DNA samples extracted from blood lymphocytes of 23 patients with SCC were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using specific primers for the DQB1 genes, and then, each HLA-DQB1 genotype was defined by digestion with restriction enzymes. Human papillomavirus typing also was performed in all cases by PCR, using specific primers for the E6 regions of cancer-associated HPV types (HPV 16, 18 and 33).

RESULTS

Twenty patients (87%) carried a DQB1 gene-encoding HLA-DQw3, compared with 49.4% Japanese control subjects in the International Histocompatibility Workshop panel (P = 0.0003). Human papillomavirus 16 or HPV 18 DNA was detected in 86% of the patients. In 13 of the patients with invasive carcinoma with HPV, a high incidence of not only HLA-DQw3 but also of HLA-DQw1 was observed compared with that in control subjects (P = 0.0019, P = 0.047, respectively). The correlation between DQB1*03 alleles and HPV infection was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

The frequency of HLA-DQw3 alleles was higher in the authors' patient group than in the control group, suggesting that the HLA-DQw3 molecules may influence the development of SCC of the cervix in young Japanese women. In the patients with HPV-positive invasive carcinoma, the association with HLA-DQw1 molecules suggested that it also may influence the progression of SCC.

Dynamics of xanthine oxidase- and Fe(3+)-ADP-dependent lipid peroxidation in negatively charged phospholipid vesicles

Superoxide (O2-)-dependent lipid peroxidation on addition of xanthine oxidase (XO) and Fe(3+)-ADP was induced in egg phosphatidylcholine (PC) liposomes containing dicetylphosphate (DCP), which are negatively charged like biological membranes, but not in uncharged egg PC liposomes. Positively charged Fe(3+)-ADP interacted more with negatively charged egg PC-DCP liposomes than with uncharged egg PC liposomes. The activities of Fe(3+)-chelates for initiating O(2-)-dependent lipid peroxidation were in the order Fe(3+)-ADP > Fe(3+)-citrate > Fe(3+)-oxalate = Fe(3+)-malonate > Fe(3+)-EDTA = 0. This order was the same as that for the reduction rates of these Fe(3+)-chelates to Fe(2+)-chelates by O(2-)-generated by XO. Lineweaver-Burk plots showed that the chelators inhibited XO by different mechanisms: uncompetitively by ADP and adenosine and non-competitively by organic acid chelators (citrate and oxalate) and EDTA. These results suggest that ADP interacts with XO in a manner different from the other chelators. Lipid peroxidation by XO-xanthine and Fe(3+)-ADP was induced in egg PC liposomes containing a trace (0.31-0.35 mol%) of peroxidized egg PC (PC-OOH), but not in PC-OOH-free liposomes of egg PC obtained by their pretreatment with triphenylphosphine. PC-OOH incorporated into dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine (DMPC) liposomes was degraded on addition of both XO-xanthine and Fe(3+)-chelate, but not of either one alone. alpha-Tocopherol in DMPC liposomes was oxidized on addition of XO-xanthine and Fe(3+)-chelates in the presence, but not in the absence of PC-OOH. Furthermore, PC-OOH was required for decrease of the ESR spectrum of the spin probe 12-(N-oxyl-4,4'-dimethyloxazolidin-2-yl)stearic acid, which labels the hydrophobic region of egg PC liposome membranes, on addition of XO-xanthine and Fe(3+)-chelates. These results indicate that the "induction message of lipid peroxidation," which is associated with reduction of Fe(3+)-ADP by O2- and concurrent degradation of PC-OOH, must be transferred from the membrane surface to the inner hydrophobic region of the membranes.

Effects of 20 days bed rest on mechanical efficiency during upright cycling and leg muscle mass in young males

Delta efficiency defined as increase in work over the corresponding increase in energy liberation (delta work/delta energy) may be used to express the efficiency of working muscles under standard conditions where work is performed with similar changes in muscle length, identical pedal revolution frequencies, and contraction-to-relaxation ratios. The Delta efficiency is probably the most valid measure of the efficiency of muscular work, so it may be influenced by the difference in distribution and/or density of muscle fiber types in exercising muscles. It has been reported that after bed rest of 7-14 days, not only maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max) but also oxygen uptake (VO2) at 3-min submaximal upright exercise decreased. However, the decrease might be apparent, and the mechanical efficiency might be unchanged. On the other hand, muscle mass of bicycling legs was decreased after continuous horizontal bed rest of 10 days and 20 days. Because the decreased muscle mass is probably related to decrease in the density of the slow twitch muscle fibers (ST-fiber), the decrease in submaximal VO2 during bicycle exercises after bed rest may result from a decrease in ST-fiber mass. Therefore, it could be hypothesized that the mechanical efficiency should increase during upright exercise because of the relative increase in amount of more efficient fast twitch muscle fibers (FT-fiber) than ST fibers in exercising muscles. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether delta efficiency in working muscle is influenced by the decrease in muscle mass after 20 days horizontal bed rest in young males.

MR angiography of the coronary arteries

Coronary vessels have been the most difficult regions to demonstrate by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging because of their motion with respiration and heart beat. MR coronary angiography may be utilized for evaluation of the coronary arteries. The purposes of the present study were to demonstrate coronary arteries in normal volunteers by using a fast MR imaging technique and to evaluate the feasibility of this imaging technique. Thirteen healthy volunteers in a prone position were imaged with a 1.5 Tesla unit by using an ECG-gated fat-suppressed Turbo fast low-angle shot (FLASH) sequence with k-space segmentation. The imaging time for one slice was approximately 15-23 seconds, within one breath-hold. The left main coronary trunk (LMT), left anterior descending (LAD), circumflex (LCX), and right coronary (RC) arteries were imaged at rates of 92.3, 100, 92.3, and 84.6%, respectively. Diameters of the LMT, LAD, LCX, and RC in proximal portions were 5.2 +/- 1.1, 3.2 +/- 1.3, 2.2 +/- 0.6, and 4.0 +/- 1.6 mm, respectively. The segmented Turbo FLASH technique was able to image the normal coronary arteries, and is a promising method by which to evaluate coronary artery diseases.

In vitro and in vivo activity of DQ-2556, a new cephalosporin

The antibacterial activity of DQ-2556, a new cephalosporin, was compared with that of cefepime, cefpirome, and other antibiotics. DQ-2556 was more active than cefepime and less active than cefpirome against gram-positive bacteria. DQ-2556 was the most active compound against most members of the Enterobacteriaceae, such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Proteus, Salmonella spp., and Shigella spp., and Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. In vivo, treatment with DQ-2556 was as or more efficacious than that with reference compounds in both systemic and respiratory tract infections in mice. DQ-2556 achieved higher concentrations than cefepime and cefpirome in lungs and kidney of mice.

Evaluation of Uniform-Sized Microcapsules Using a Vibration-Nozzle Method

In order to prepare microcapsules (MC) using polyvinylacetal diethyl-aminoacetate (AEA) gel, we have studied both the unique properties of AEA gel, in which cold-water solution forms a hard gel with exclusion of water at high temperature, and the microencapsulation technique for clarithromycin (CAM), which has an unpleasant taste (1, 2). In our previous paper (3), we described a new uniform-sized microencapsulation machine with a vibration nozzle with 536 holes 100µ in diameter designed for precise regulation of dissolution of CAM from MC.In order to evaluate the MC thus obtained, we prepared syrups (without water) by adding sweetening agents to MC, and conducted a dissolution test at various pHs using the method described in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia (12th edition), a test for bitter taste and a test to determine bioavailability (BA) in human subjects. At pHs below 4.0,100% of CAM in MC was dissolved from the syrup within 5min. However, there was little dissolution of CAM from syrup at pH6.8. The results of the test for bitter taste showed that the syrup preparations, which were administered to 12 male and female volunteers with 20ml water, masked bitter taste completely during the 60min period following administration of the syrup. The mean area under the serum concentration-time curve (AUCo-24) and the maximum serum concentration (Cmax) for administration of syrup preparations to 6 male volunteers were 5.66 ± 0.73µg·hr/ml and 0.66 ± 0.13µg/ml, respectively. Blood concentration was maintained at a level above the minimum inhibitory concentration for gram-positive bacteria for a period of about 14hr after administration, demonstrating the usefulness of the syrup preparation.