Clinical significance of neutrophil adhesion molecules expression after coronary angioplasty on the development of restenosis

To investigate the neutrophil activation process following percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), we examined the expressions of Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18), L-selectin (CD62L), and sialyl-LewisX (SLX) on the surface of neutrophils after the PTCA procedure, by flow cytometric analysis. Twenty-nine patients with single vessel coronary artery disease of the left anterior descending artery who underwent elective PTCA were enrolled. In the 17 patients without restenosis at the follow-up angiography, the mean channel fluorescence intensity (MFI) for CD18, CD62L and SLX did not change after PTCA. Only the CD11b level was increased at 48 h after the PTCA. In the remaining 12 patients who developed restenosis, the MFI values for CD18 and CD11b were increased at 24 h and 48 h after the PTCA. The MFI value for CD62L was decreased and that for SLX was increased at 48 h after the PTCA. These changes were more prominent in the coronary sinus blood samples than in those of the peripheral blood samples. Our data indicate the down-regulation of L-selectin, probably by shedding, as well as the up-regulations of Mac-1 and sialyl-LewisX, especially in patients with restenosis. It is suggested that neutrophil activation by an interaction between the selectin family and carbohydrate ligands after PTCA may play a role in the development of restenosis, as does the integrin family.

Quantitative light microscopic study on the heterogeneity in the superficial pineal gland of the rat

BACKGROUND

The previous results regarding regional and day-night differences in pinealocyte size in rats are conflicting. The relationships between these differences and the vascularity and sympathetic innervation have scarcely been investigated.

METHODS

Wistar-King rats, kept under light/dark 12:12, were killed at midday or midnight in October. The nuclear density of pinealocytes in the superficial pineal was measured on the dorsoperipheral, dorsocentral, ventroperipheral, and ventrocentral regions at distal, middle, and proximal levels at daytime and nighttime. The total area of blood vessels per unit area at daytime and nighttime and total length of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunoreactive fibers per unit area at daytime were determined on the same regions at the same levels.

RESULTS

Pinealocyte size was larger toward the distal levels and in the periphery than in the center at any level. The area of blood vessels and length of TH fibers were also larger toward the distal levels; the former in the ventral region and the latter in the dorsal and ventral regions were larger in the periphery than in the center. Ventral pinealocytes, but not dorsal ones, showed day-night changes in size. Prominent day-night rhythms in area of blood vessels occurred in the ventral region, where TH fibers were more abundant than in the dorsal region.

CONCLUSIONS

Pinealocyte size shows the distal to proximal and peripheral to central gradients, which may be related to the differential distribution of blood vessels and sympathetic fibers. Since pinealocytes and blood vessels, showing prominent day-night changes in size, are localized in the more richly innervated regions, sympathetic fibers may play an important role in controlling these rhythms.

Tacrine improves working memory deficit caused by permanent occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries in rats

Effect of tacrine, a cholinesterase inhibitor, on spatial acquisition deficit caused by permanent occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries (2VO) was examined by using the conventional 8-arm and the 4-arm baited radial maze tasks in rats. Daily administration of tacrine (0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg, i.p.) 1 month after 2VO operation significantly improved the impaired spatial acquisition in the conventional maze task. This treatment also ameliorated the 2VO-induced working but not reference memory deficit in the 4-arm baited radial maze task. These results suggest that tacrine improvement of working memory deficit in the 2VO rats is due to stimulation of central cholinergic systems.

[New combination therapy with FTM [5-FU, pirarubicin (THP) and MMC] for treatment of inoperable advanced gastric cancer]

Clinical usefulness of a new combination FTM therapy consisting of 5-FU, Pirarubicin (THP) and MMC for the treatment of advanced gastric cancers was investigated. 5-FU, THP or MMC was administered at a dose of 600 mg/m2 on day 1, 8, 22 and 29, 30 mg/m2 on days 1 and 22, and 10 mg/m2 on day one only of each course, respectively. Eighteen patients with inoperable advanced gastric cancer were treated with FTM. All drugs were investigated by intravenously by one shot. The tumor response rate was 50% [9 of 18 showed PR]. The survival rate was higher in responders than in nonresponders (18.1% vs 11.1%) (p < 0.05). Side effects in the gastrointestinal tract were minimal. Cardiotoxicity and nephrotoxicity were not detected, but myelosuppression was prominent in most cases. G-CSF was given in sixteen patients (88%), and platelet transfusion was performed in two patients (11%). New combination FTM therapy is an effective treatment regimen even for advanced inoperable gastric cancer.

Creation of an infectious recombinant Sendai virus expressing the firefly luciferase gene from the 3' proximal first locus

A genetic engineering approach was made to generate a recombinant non-segmented negative-strand RNA virus, Sendai virus (SeV) of the family Paramyxoviridae, that expresses firefly luciferase. The DNA construct containing the entire open reading frame (ORF) of the luciferase gene followed by the SeV transcription stop and restart signals connected with the conserved intergenic three nucleotides was inserted immediately before the ORF of the viral 3'-proximal nucleocapsid (N) protein gene in a full-length SeV cDNA copy. After intracellular expression of full-length antigenomic transcripts from the engineered cDNA and of the viral n ucleocapsid protein and RNA polymerase from the respective plasmids, a recombinant SeV expressing luciferase activity at a high level was recovered, although the tendency of this particular reporter gene product to aggregate in cells made it difficult to estimate the maximum level of expression. The increase in genome length brought about by inserting 1728 nucleotides into the 15,384 nucleotide parental SeV was associated with reduced plaque size, slightly slower replication kinetics and a severalfold decrease in yield of the virus. The inserted luciferase gene was stably maintained after numerous rounds of replication by serial passages in chick embryos. These results indicate the potential utility of SeV as a novel expression vector.

Pyrrole butyric acid derivatives as inhibitors of steroid 5 alpha-reductase

A series of pyrrole butyric acid derivatives was synthesized and evaluated for inhibitory activity on human and rat steroid 5 alpha-reductase in vitro and ex vivo. 3-Benzoyl-4-alkylpyrrole-1-butyric acids and 1-methyl-2-alkyl-3-benzoylpyrrole-5-butyric acid derivatives were effective inhibitors. Structure activity relationships were evaluated among the 37 compounds synthesized. Compound 37 (HQL-1069) shows potent inhibitory activities against both rat and human 5 alpha-reductase.

Suppression of infectious virus spread and corneal opacification by the combined use of recombinant interferon beta and interleukin-10 following corneal infection with herpes simplex virus-1 in mice

The effects of Interleukin-10 (IL-10) and recombinant murine interferon-beta (rMuIFN-beta) on experimental corneal herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) inoculation in BALB/c mice were examined. The mice were inoculated with the HSV-1 strain KOS at their corneas after abrasion. IL-10 was then administered topically once a day for 10 days beginning 2 days post inoculation, while rMuIFN-beta was administered once a day for 10 days beginning 1 day post inoculation. The local viral growth in the inoculated eyes and trigeminal ganglia was reduced in the rMuIFN-beta-treated mice but not in the IL-10-treated mice. In the mice treated with both rMuIFN-beta and IL-10, the degree of both the local viral growth and corneal opacification decreased. The establishment of HSV-1 latency in the trigeminal ganglia was partially prevented by rMuIFN-beta treatment but not by IL-10 treatment. The combined use of the cytokines resulted in both the suppression of viral spread and the prevention of corneal inflammation induced by HSV-1 infection.

Comparison of the antiplatelet effect of YM337 and abciximab in rhesus monkeys

We directly compared the effects of YM337, the Fab fragment of the humanized monoclonal antibody C4G1, on platelet aggregation and template bleeding time with those of abciximab, the Fab fragment of the human/murine chimeric monoclonal antibody 7E3, in rhesus monkeys. The duration of inhibition of platelet aggregation by abciximab after i.v. bolus injection was much longer than that by YM337. Although YM337 significantly prolonged template bleeding time at 5 min after i.v. bolus injection, this action recovered within 1 h after injection. In contrast, although abciximab also prolonged template bleeding time, the duration of this effect was sustained. In a dose-escalating continuous infusion study, we evaluated the relationship between inhibition of platelet aggregation and prolongation of template bleeding time. Platelet aggregation was inhibited by over 80% by both agents at 3 microg/kg per min, and template bleeding time was prolonged to about 30 min at 30 microg/kg per min for YM337 and 10 microg/kg per min for abciximab. Interestingly, plasma concentrations between inhibition of platelet aggregation and prolongation of template bleeding time did not overlap with YM337, but did overlap with abciximab. These results suggest that YM337 allows easier control of antiplatelet activity with less effect on bleeding time than abciximab, and has a wider therapeutic window than abciximab.

Prevention of amyloid-like deposition by a selective prolyl endopeptidase inhibitor, Y-29794, in senescence-accelerated mouse

Our study was performed to assess the hypothesis that prolyl endopeptidase (PEP) would be functionally involved in the senescence-accelerated amyloid formation and that long-term inhibition of prolyl endopeptidase would suppress the progression of A beta-like deposition in the hippocampus of the senescence-accelerated mouse (SAM). Granular structures of A beta-LI were observed in the hippocampus and around cerebral microvessels of the SAM after immunohistochemical staining with specific anti-A beta antibody. Repeated treatment of the SAM with Y-29794 (1, 10, 20 mg/kg, p.o.), a specific inhibitor of prolyl endopeptidase, significantly reduced the number and density of A beta-positive granular structures in the hippocampus of the SAM, after digital image analysis with NIH Image software. Furthermore, the characteristic biphasic distribution of the digitized density of the granules was significantly modulated after the treatment with Y-29794. These results suggest that chronic treatment of the SAM with Y-29794, a nonpeptide inhibitor of prolyl endopeptidase, prevents the progression of A beta-like deposition in the hippocampus of the SAM.

Desmopressin stimulation test for diagnosis of ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome

We evaluated the usefulness of a desmopressin (DDAVP) test in the diagnosis of ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome. After an intravenous injection of 5 microg DDAVP, plasma ACTH levels increased to more than 200% of the basal levels in 10 of 10 patients with Cushing's disease, but remained less than 150% in all of 11 normal subjects, 3 patients with Addison's disease, 5 cases of Cushing's disease in remission, and 3 patients with ectopic ACTH syndrome. Peak levels of plasma cortisol after the DDAVP stimulation were 159 +/- 14% in the patients with Cushing's disease, and less than 150% of the basal levels in the other 5 groups. We also found a case of Cushing's disease with periodicity which responded to DDAVP only in the active stage. In vitro studies revealed that DDAVP directly stimulates ACTH release from corticotropic adenoma cells through V1b but not V2 vasopressin receptors. In conclusion, the DDAVP stimulation test, i.e., determination of plasma ACTH levels after 5 microg DDAVP injection, seems useful for discriminating Cushing's disease from normality, and may serve to facilitate the differentiation between Cushing's disease and ectopic ACTH syndrome.

Importance of the cysteine-rich carboxyl-terminal half of V protein for Sendai virus pathogenesis

The Sendai virus V protein is a nonstructural trans-frame protein whose cysteine-rich C-terminal half is fused to the acidic N-terminal half of the P protein via mRNA editing. We recently created a mutant by disrupting the editing motif, which is devoid of mRNA editing and hence unable to produce the V protein, and demonstrated that this V(-) virus replicated normally or even faster with augmented gene expression and cytopathogenicity in cells in vitro, but was strongly attenuated in pathogenicity for mice (A. Kato, K. Kiyotani, Y. Sakai, T. Yoshida, and Y. Nagai, EMBO J. 16:578-587, 1997). Thus, although categorized as a nonessential protein, the V protein appeared to encode a luxury function required for the viral in vivo pathogenesis. Here, we created another version of a V-deficient mutant, VdeltaC, encoding only the N-terminal half but not the V-specific C-terminal half, by introducing a stop codon in the trans-V frame, and then we compared its in vitro and in vivo phenotypes with those of the V(-) and wild-type viruses. The VdeltaC virus was found to be similar to the wild-type virus in vitro with no augmented gene expression and cytopathogenicity, but in vivo, it resembled the V(-) virus, displaying a similarly attenuated phenotype. Thus, the pathogenicity determinant in the V protein was mapped to the C-terminal half. The N-terminal half was likely sufficient to confer normal (wild-type) in vitro phenotypes.

Isolation and characterization of Xenopus laevis xSox-B1 cDNA

A family of genes related to the sex-determining region Y gene (SRY) has been termed SOX, and the members are known to encode transcriptional factors and be involved in animal development. We have isolated and sequenced a novel Sox cDNA of Xenopus laevis in this study. The cDNA encodes a protein of 309 amino acids, which encompasses a B-type SOX HMG box; the cDNA was named xSox-B1 in this study. The xSox-B1 mRNA is 1.6 kb in length. Various tissues of adult frog were tested for xSox-B1 mRNA by reverse transcription/ polymerase chain reaction, and the results showed that xSox-B1 expression was highly restricted to the ovary. The message of the xSox-B1 gene was also detected in unfertilized eggs and the late blastula embryos of X. laevis. Recombinant polypeptide of the xSox-B1 HMG domain preferentially binds to the AACAAT sequence.

[Successful emergency surgical management following cardiac massage in a patient with acute myocardial infarction due to total obstruction of the left main trunk]

The prognosis in patients manifesting shock following acute myocardial infarction due to total occlusion of the left main trunk (LMT) is usually very poor and so is the lifesaving rate. Accurate judgement and rapid response are key to the successful management of this disease. We experienced a successful case with emergency coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) on the 14 the day after initial attack. The patient, who had total occlusion of LMT, underwent a PTCA (percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty) during the initial attack under cardiac massage. We think in situations where patients have cardiac arrest, shock, elevated CPK levels suggesting devastation of myocardium due either to LMT or severe triple vessels disease, early catheter intervention rather than emergency CABG would be much more tolerable as long as hemodynamic situation allows. Our previous experience taught us that immediate surgical intervention with CABG usually resulted in poor outcome. Further refinements regarding the surgical procedure, technique, assist circulatory supports, cardioplegia, etc., are indispensable before trying to have a successful emergency CABG.

Treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma by transarterial chemotherapy using reservoirs or one-shot arterial chemotherapy

A prospective trial was performed in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma to assess the therapeutic efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemotherapy using implanted reservoirs (12 patients) or conventional transcatheter arterial chemotherapy (8 patients). Epirubicin at a dose of 40 mg/m2 was given every month in the former, while epirubicin at a dose of 60 mg/m2 was administered every 3 months in the latter. During the 6 months from the introduction of these therapies, hospitalized periods were shorter and total hospital costs were less in the reservoir group than in the conventional chemotherapy group (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). Transcatheter arterial chemotherapy using implanted reservoirs can be carried out on a day-care basis and may be beneficial for the treatment of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Blood cardioplegia infusion using a recirculation type circuit generates bradykinin in significant amounts during open heart surgery

The single pass type (SP) of blood cardioplegia is commonly used in North America during open heart surgery. However the recirculation type (RC) of blood cardioplegia is still widely used in other areas including Japan. Infusion blood cardioplegia using the latter technique often decreases the perfusion pressure. To determine the cause for this, blood levels of bradykinin (BK) were measured in cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and the 2 types of blood cardioplegic circuits. As the BK levels in the RC cardioplegia (>3,000 pg/ml) rose, the perfusion pressure decreased abruptly with the increase of the BK levels in the CPB circuit. With SP cardioplegia, the BK level was not increased either during cardioplegia (p < 0.009) or CPB (p < 0.009), and the perfusion pressure was not decreased (p < 0.02). We concluded that the SP circuit is superior to the RC one because of the lesser production of BK and thus lesser fluctuation of perfusion pressure.

XLS13A and XLS13B: SRY-related genes of Xenopus laevis

SRY-related cDNAs, XLS13A and XLS13B, have been isolated from Xenopus laevis ovary. The cDNAs encode polypeptides of 382 and 375 amino acids, respectively. Nucleotide sequences of the two cDNAs are highly homologous to each other. The type-A and type-B XLS13 proteins, and xSox13 reported previously share an identical high mobility group (HMG) box at the amino acid level, although they contain silent nucleotide alterations. The HMG box exhibits strong similarity (> 93% amino acid identity) to those of mouse Sox4/human SOX4 and chicken Sox11/human SOX11. The size of XLS13A/XLS13B mRNA was estimated to be 2.8 knt in Xenopus ovary by Northern analysis. Reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction (RT/PCR) assay indicated that XLS13A and XLS13B mRNAs are present in various tissues of adult frog. The mRNAs of XLS13A and XLS13B of maternal origin found in unfertilized eggs disappear in the early stages of the Xenopus embryo. DNA-binding properties of the XLS13 HMG domain were examined by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). The HMG domain preferentially binds to the canonical target sequence of SOX proteins, AACAAT, in vitro.

[A case of unilateral and synchronous occurrence of oncocytoma and renal cell carcinoma]

A 45-year-old female, who had undergone an operation for rectal cancer 4 years previously was admitted to our hospital because of a left renal mass found by follow-up ultrasonography. Ultrasonography revealed two high echoic tumors. Enhanced computerized tomography (CT) showed relatively low density tumors measuring 3.8 x 3.8 cm and 0.8 x 0.8 cm in the upper and lower pole, respectively. Renal angiography demonstrated a spoke-wheel appearance in the upper pole. Left radical nephrectomy was performed. Histopathological diagnosis of the tumor in the upper pole was oncocytoma and that in the lower pole was renal cell carcinoma.

[Development of a bioartificial liver using porcine hepatocyte spheroids]

We have discussed hereby about the latest studies on bioartificial liver systems including those examined in human clinical trials. Based on the discussion and in order to meet the present requirement of clinical sides to the system, that is, maximal metabolic capacities up to 6 hours of plasma perfusion treatment, we have developed a new bioartificial liver based on high-cell density suspension perfusion culture of porcine hepatocyte spheroids, which have two or three times higher functional expressions that those of conventional cultures. The module developed can retain a large number of hepatocytes(4 x 10(9)) in 150 mL volume without any functional deterioration usually accompanied by high-cell density cultivation, even when compared with small-scale dish-level cultures.

Adult onset globoid cell leukodystrophy (Krabbe disease): analysis of galactosylceramidase cDNA from four Japanese patients

We examined galactosylceramidase (GALC) cDNA in four Japanese patients with adult onset globoid cell leukodystrophy (Krabbe disease; AO-GLD) by polymerase chain reaction/single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis, subsequent sequence determination, and restriction enzyme digestion of PCR products, initial symptoms were the onset of slowly progressive spastic paraplegia from the middle of the second decade, and all patients had diminished GALC activity in their leukocytes. We identified three missense mutations (I66M, G270D, L618S) and one exon-6 skipping (535-573del). Two of the patients had only the I66M mutant mRNA, and one only the G27OD mutant mRNA. The fourth patient carried a compound heterozygous mutation of 535-573del and L618S. To determine the enzymatic activities produced by these mutations, we constructed mutated GALC cDNAs and expressed them in COS-1 cells. Three mutations, viz., G270D, L618S, and exon-6 skipping (535-573del), produced diminished GALC activity as expected. The I66M mutation in the wild-type GALC cDNA(I289) had normal activity, but when this mutation and the V289 polymorphism were introduced into the same allele, it had decreased activity. Thus, the combination of a unique mutation and polymorphism causes conformational change in the GALC enzyme, resulting in low enzymatic activity. AO-GLD mutations, including those found here, are located in the N-terminus (I66M, G270D, 535-573del) or C-terminus (L618S) of the GALC enzyme, whereas the reported mutations in the infantile form (IF-GLD) are in the central domain. This difference in mutation sites may affect the clinical features of GLD.

NADPH-dependent reduction of ethyl acetoacetate coupled with ethanol oxidation in Kloeckera magna

We evaluated the catalytic ability of 29 yeast strains to reduce ethyl acetoacetate (EA) in the presence of ethanol or glucose. In 18 yeast strains, the reduction in the presence of ethanol proceeded as well as in the presence of glucose. Among them, Kloeckera magna (AKU 4704) effectively catalyzed the NADPH-dependent reduction of EA in the presence of ethanol. In this reduction, 1 mol of EA was reduced by consuming 1 mol of ethanol. We found that the NADPH regeneration system responsible for EA reduction in K. magna was coupled with oxidation of acetaldehyde to acetic acid catalyzed by an NADP(+)-dependent aldehyde dehydrogenase.