Cytochemical demonstration of nitric oxide synthase and 5' nucleotidase in human glioblastoma

Both nitric oxide (NO), formed from L-arginine by the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS), and adenosine, which is produced by 5' nucleotidase (5' N) acting on adenosine 5' monophosphate (5' AMP) are implicated in several neurophysiological processes. In addition, 5' N is a linker protein involved in cell motility. Alterations of both enzyme activities seem to be responsible for some pathological states of the central nervous system (CNS). In the present report, we have studied the cytochemical demonstration of NOS and 5' N activities in human glioblastoma cells. Enzyme activity of both was observed in tumor cells; moreover, the coincidence of enzyme histochemistry and immunohistochemistry for NOS was noted in most cases. The findings were interpreted on the basis of the cytotoxic effects due to NO production by tumor cells, and on the non-catalytic role of membrane 5' N which acting as an adhesive molecule can favour tumor invasiveness.

Activated lymphoid cells in human gliomas: morphofunctional and cytochemical evidence

To study defensive infiltrating cells, smear preparation from 20 fresh gliomas and autologous normal peritumoural brain tissue, used as control, were analysed. May-Grünwald Giemsa staining and cytochemical reaction markers of cellular functions [acid phosphatase (AP), dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), dipeptidilpeptidase (DAP IV) and serine esterase BLT-dependent (SE)], were employed to characterize the cells. The extent of the leukocytic infiltration and the percentage of activated lymphocytes ("hand mirror" shape lymphocytes: HMS; lymphocytes binding tumor: LBT) were also studied. In addition serum levels of T cell growth factor interleukin-2 (IL-2) and of the soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL-2R) were determined in the affected patients. In tumoural imprints, mostly in astrocytomas, we observed an increased percentage of DHFR and DAP IV positive lymphocytes, of HMS lymphocytes and of lymphocytes binding tumoral cells. Serum levels of IL-2 were significantly increased in all patients whilst sIL-2R levels, were high only in glioblastoma. These findings indicate that in malignant gliomas there is stimulation of the immune system as witnessed by the presence of activated cells inside tumor tissue and soluble activating factors in serum.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: oxidative energy metabolism and calcium homeostasis in peripheral blood lymphocytes

There is evidence of oxidative injury in postmortem brain, spinal cord, and CSF of patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (SALS patients). We investigated the oxidative metabolism and calcium homeostasis in peripheral blood lymphocytes from such patients and did not find statistical differences in the basal oxygen consumption rate (QO2), cytochrome c oxidase activity, catalase activity, and lactate production. However the increase in QO2, induced by an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation, was depressed and the basal (resting) level of free cytosolic calcium ([Ca2+]in) was higher in lymphocytes from SALS patients (p < 0.01). Further increase in free [Ca2+]in challenged by a K+ channel blocker or by an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation was similar in SALS and control lymphocytes. The results show that systemic changes consistent with the presence of mitochondrial and of calcium metabolism dysfunction are present in SALS.

Disseminated encephalitis following streptococcal infection

Various neurological disorders have been related to Streptococcus pyogenes infection. Only recently, and for the first time, it has been suggested that acute disseminated encephalitis may also complicate a streptococcal infection. The case reported in this paper seems to confirm this hypothesis.

[Encephalitis lethargica]

We report the case of a 34-year old patient who first complained of fever, confusion and transient ophthalmoplegia and then developed akinetic mutism, frontal lobe, pyramidal tract and extrapyramidal signs. Clinical and electrophysiological data support a diagnosis of encephalitis lethargica. Magnetic resonance imaging showed hyperintensive lesions in various brain regions. The patient responded to corticosteroid treatment. Two years after the onset of the first clinical signs he had recovered completely and today, after 5 years, he shows no sign of disease.

Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON)-related mitochondrial DNA sequence changes in italian patients presenting with sporadic bilateral optic neuritis

Eighteen Italian patients presenting with sporadic, bilateral, simultaneous, or sequential optic neuritis (ON) were evaluated for 14 base changes in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) previously found associated with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON), aiming to identify at a molecular level LHON cases with nontypical phenotypes. During a 36-month follow-up, 11 ON patients developed clinical or laboratory features allowing diagnosis of clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS). None was positive for any of the "primary" LHON-associated mutations. However, single or multiple "secondary" LHON-associated sequence changes at 4216/ND1, 4917/ND2, and 13708/ND5 were detected in ON and ON-MS patients. MS controls without visual failure as well as healthy control subjects harbored the same base changes at similar frequencies. In addition, coexistence of three sequence changes was found in two cases (1 ON-MS patient and 1 MS control patient). We also report finding two new neutral sequence base changes in the ND-4 gene which were identified by SSCP and confirmed by automated DNA sequence analysis. The results suggests that these secondary mutations do not contribute to MS susceptibility in these patients, but rather represent neutral mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms. In addition, whether there are biochemical abnormalities related to single and multiple secondary mtDNA sequence changes remain to be demonstrated.

Recovery of muscular energy status in chronic alcoholics after 2 weeks of abstinence

Repeated and excessive consumption of alcohol leads to pathophysiological disorders in skeletal muscles. A successful management of this syndrome requires a strict abstinence and a nutritionally adequate diet. We propose here a simple and noninvasive investigation using 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to monitor the recovery of the basal energy status of eminence thenar muscles from documented chronic alcoholic patients during a controlled 15-day period of abstinence. Cessation of alcohol abuse induced a significant recovery of the PCr/(PCr+P(i)) ratio otherwise depressed before the abstinence. On the contrary, the relative level of free inorganic phosphate decreased, whereas intracellular pH was not affected. These results demonstrate (a) the rapid improvement of basal muscular energy metabolism during abstinence for patients with a chronic and heavy alcohol consumption, and (b) the feasibility of a follow-up of this recovery by serial examinations using 31P MRS.

Activated lymphocytes in glioblastoma: significance for anti-tumoral immunity

Interaction between immune cells and tumoral cells of a case of glioblastoma was studied. Tissue fragments obtained during neurosurgery from different areas of the tumor were examined before and after rIL-2 treatment in vitro. The same morphofunctional type of cells usually activated by rIL-2, which show antitumoral reactivity, was observed both in the glioblastoma imprints and in tumoral fragments cultured with rIL-2. This cytokine stimulated the proliferation of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes in vitro. This preliminary study shows that IL-2 potentiates the differentiation of HMS cells in peripheral blood which probably pass through the blood brain barrier and infiltrate the tumor.

High incidence of gastrointestinal cancer in a family with ataxia-telangiectasia

Literature suggests that not only homozygotes but also heterozygotes for ataxia-telangiectasia have a high incidence of cancer, probably due to an impairment in DNA repair. The most frequent associations are with breast, lung, bladder, prostate and stomach tumors, while no correlation with colorectal cancer has been demonstrated. The affected family reported in this paper seems to have a high incidence of gastrointestinal tract tumors, including the colorectal ones.

A case of parietal atrophy: etiopathogenetic evaluation

We report on the case of a patient presenting a muscle atrophy of the right hand and a left parietal neoplastic lesion rapidly progressing. EMG findings showed no signs of denervation nor sensory-motor conduction impairments. Parietal lesions might interrupt sensory control mechanisms of motor activity.

Myelin basic protein purification in non denaturing conditions

The utilization of denaturing methods for protein purification causes the irreversible loss of quaternary and tertiary structure together with consistent changes in the secondary structure. These modifications reflect on protein antigenicity. MBP is a myelin protein which is bound to membrane-phospholipids. Its tertiary structure is specific for this kind of interaction which determines its native conformation. MBP was obtained in two forms: denatured and non denatured. The latter has been purified using the non-ionic detergent beta-octil-D-glucopyranoside which is able to preserve protein tertiary structure separating it from the bilayer phospholipids. Non denaturated MBP could be useful in antibody and/or lymphocyte activity detection studies in various human pathological processes.

Inactivation of the scrapie agent in a scaled-down procedure for the purification of gangliosides from brain tissue

The inactivation of the scrapie agent in biologicals was evaluated on a scaled-down procedure currently in use on a large scale for the purification of gangliosides from bovine brain tissue. Residual infectivity was determined by an in vivo animal bio-assay using hamsters as the host species and the 263K strain as the reference agent. Infectivity was significantly diminished during the early stages of purification and infectivity was never detected in the final preparations. These results confirmed that a combination of chemicals or physical techniques known to affect the viability of the scrapie agent led to complete inactivation.