Collagenase production by immortalized human aortic endothelial cells infected with simian virus 40

Human aortic endothelial cells, isolated at autopsy from a 52-year-old male dying from lung cancer, were treated with simian virus 40 (SV40). One colony was isolated from the infected endothelial cell culture 4 weeks after infection. The cells expressed SV40 large T antigen and p53 protein (p53) in their nuclei but lacted the characteristics of a transformed phenotype. The cells grew well in a monolayer over the 97th passage and exhibited Factor VIII-related antigen, Ulex europaeus 1 agglutinin (UEA-1) as endothelial cell markers, and a well-developed fibronectin network. The amount of prostacyclin synthesized by the cells was less than the amount synthesized by normal aortic or umbilical cord vein endothelial cells. The cells produced relatively large amounts of procollagenase, and 12-o-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) augmented the ability of the cells to produce this enzyme. These immortalized human aortic endothelial cells, which have some characteristics of normal endothelial cells and, like capillary endothelial cells, have the ability to produce collagenase, will probably prove useful for studies of atherosclerosis and angiogenesis.

Effect of linoleic acid hydroperoxide on production of matrix metalloproteinases by human skin fibroblasts

The effect of linoleic acid hydroperoxide on in vitro production of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) by human skin fibroblasts was studied. The addition of linoleic acid hydroperoxide significantly increased the production of MMP-1 (tissue collagenase) and MMP-3 (stromelysin), while it rather decreased that of MMP-2 (gelatinase of 72 kDa; so-called "type IV collagenase"). The effect of lipid peroxides to alter collagen metabolism was discussed from pathogenic points of view.

Effect of linoleic acid hydroperoxide on replication of adenovirus DNA in endothelial cells of bovine aorta

The effect of linoleic acid hydroperoxide on replication of adenovirus type 2 DNA in cultured endothelial cells of bovine aorta was studied to elucidate the deleterious effect of lipid peroxides on replication of DNA in the arterial endothelial cells. When, just after the infection, the cells were incubated with 1 nmol (measured by the thiobarbituric acid reaction and expressed in terms of malondialdehyde) of the hydroperoxide, the replication of adenovirus type 2 DNA was markedly reduced. The level of the messenger RNA for adenovirus type 2 DNA polymerase was also reduced. In accordance with the reduction of the messenger RNA, the synthesis of the polymerase in the cells was reduced. The inhibition of DNA replication in the arterial endothelial cells by lipid peroxides was discussed in relation to atherogenesis.

Diffuse axonal injury and early intracranial sequelae in severe head injury

The importance of diffuse axonal injury (DAI) and early intracranial sequelae was studied in 107 patients with diffuse and focal brain injuries. Comprehensive neuropathological study was also undertaken in 24 fatal patients. The mortality rate was clearly the highest in traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage, followed by acute subdural hematoma, cerebral contusion with delayed hematoma formation, traumatic intracerebral hematoma, diffuse cerebral swelling, DAI with classical features, and finally nearly normal on computed tomographic scans. The mean flow velocities in the middle cerebral artery recorded by transcranial Doppler ultrasound were variable in diffuse brain injury, but commonly decreased on the hematoma side depending on increased intracranial pressure and decreased cerebral perfusion pressure in focal brain injury. Deep-seated hemorrhagic lesions did not expand in diffuse brain injury, but sizable hematoma developed within 24 hours in focal brain injury. The platelet count was significantly lower in patients with poor outcomes in focal brain injury. Histological evidence of classical DAI was found in eight (50%) of 16 cases with focal brain injury. DAI of varying severity is the common subjacent lesion in patients with severe head injury, but the final outcome varies greatly with different lesion types.

Carcinoid tumor of the larynx

Carcinoid tumor of the larynx is a rare neoplasm. Two cases of laryngeal carcinoid tumor are reported and the relevant literature is reviewed. One patient was an 82-year-old male who complained of odynophagia. The tumor was located on the left arytenoid and neck metastasis were present when he died 3 years after surgery. The other patient was an 82-year-old male who complained of hoarseness. His tumor was located in the left ventricle. Bone metastasis was detected one month after surgery and he died of distant metastasis two months following surgery. A review of the literature showed that carcinoid tumors of the larynx are aggressive and malignant, with distant metastasis being the most common cause of death. This tumor is unresponsive to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, so adequate surgical excision remains the only effective treatment.

Characterization of cells cultured from human giant-cell tumors of bone. Phenotypic relationship to the monocyte-macrophage and osteoclast

Cell culture techniques were used to clarify the histogenesis of giant-cell tumor of bone. Even after passage, nearly all of the mononuclear cells possessed tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase and receptors for eel calcitonin, which are both phenotypic markers for osteoclasts. Eel calcitonin produced an increase in the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) content of the mononuclear cells. More than 90% of mononuclear tumor cells expressed monocyte markers; flow cytometric C3b receptor, a macrophage marker, was also detected in a few cells. These findings demonstrate that the mononuclear cells expressed phenotypes of both the osteoclast and monocyte-macrophage and that they originate in a monocyte-macrophage-osteoclast lineage. Giant-cell tumor of bone may thus provide a good model for investigating the mechanism of bone resorption in which cells of osteoclast lineage play a central role.

[A case of lymphocytic adenohypophysitis associated with sarcoidosis of the lung and eye]

Lymphocytic adenohypophysitis is considered to be an inflammatory disease of the adenohypophysis that is commonly present with visual disturbance and hypopituitarism. Its etiology remains unclear but it is often related to an autoimmune disorder involving other organs, such as the thyroid, parathyroid, or adrenal glands. We encountered a rare case of lymphocytic adenohypophysitis associated with sarcoidosis of the lung and eye during the follow-up period. A 23-year-old woman was hospitalized in July 1986, with a one-month history of headache and visual disturbances which began three days after her second normal delivery. On admission, she showed slight visual impairment and had a left temporal superior quadrantanopia. Endocrinological evaluation revealed thyroid and adrenal hypofunction, and low response of human growth hormone to the loading test. A skull X-ray showed normal shaped sella with some erosion of the dorsum. CT scan showed a rounded contrast-enhanced intrasellar mass extending into the suprasellar cistern. MRI (SR: 500/30) showed a homogeneous low intensity mass which contained a small high intensity area on the relative T2-weighted image (2000/50). A biopsy was performed via right frontotemporal craniotomy. The consistency of the resected tissue was firmer than that of pituitary adenoma. Histologically, the tissue showed diffuse lymphocytic infiltration with some normal adenohypophysis. Her postoperative course was uneventful and the visual impairment improved two months later after the operation. Six months after the operation, she was readmitted with complaints of general fatigue and breathlessness. Chest X-ray showed diffuse infiltration throughout both lung fields, but there was no bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Expression of oncogenes by smooth muscle cells in atherosclerotic lesions]

Smooth muscle cells in the thickened intima of the aorta also expressed sis, mye, and c-fos, in addition to collagen types I, III, IV and type V. In the cultures of smooth muscle cells isolated from human aorta, collagen I, III and gelatinase were produced without any other special conditions for the culture. In the presence of PDGF, collagen type V and collagenase production was detected in the culture. Oncogene expression was not detected in the cultured cells when tested by the indirect immunofluorescence technique. Immortalized smooth muscle cells with SV 40 expressed myc, SV 40 large T antigen, and p53 without inhibition of collagen and collagenolytic enzymes production.

Sequence analysis of cloned dengue virus type 2 genome (New Guinea-C strain)

Sequences totalling 5472 nucleotides (nt) from four complementary DNA (cDNA) clones of the dengue virus type 2 (DEN-2) RNA (New Guinea strain, NGS-C) have been reported previously [Yaegashi et al., Gene 46 (1986) 257-267; Putnak et al., Virology 163 (1988) 93-103]. This report describes the complete nucleotide sequence, with the exception of about 7 nt at the 5'-noncoding region, of this RNA genome derived from several cDNA clones. It is 10,723 nt in length and contains a single long open reading frame of 10,173 nt, encoding a polyprotein of 3391 amino acids. The genomic organization is similar to that of other flaviviruses that have recently been reported. Among the three DEN-2 strains - the Jamaica genotype (DEN-2JAM), the DEN-2NGS-C, and the S1 candidate vaccine strain derived from Puerto Rico (PR)-159 isolate (DEN-2S1) - which have been sequenced to date, the amino acid sequences of the polyproteins bear 94%-99% similarity. When the amino acid sequences of DEN-2NGS-C are compared with those of the other two strains, the variations are greater in the DEN-2S1 than in the DEN-2JAM. When DEN-2 and DEN-4 are compared, the overall amino acid identities range from 30% to 80% in both the structural and nonstructural proteins; whereas between DEN-2 and DEN-1, they range from 68% to 79% in the region encoding the structural proteins and the nonstructural protein NS1.

Immunological analysis of 140-kDa adenovirus-encoded DNA polymerase in adenovirus type 2-infected HeLa cells using antibodies raised against the protein expressed in Escherichia coli

The E2B region of adenovirus genome contains a long open reading frame (ORF) extending from 24 to 14.2 map units which encodes most of the 140-kDa DNA polymerase. It was cloned at the polylinker region of pUC18 vector with Escherichia coli JM109 as the host. A clone was serendipitously isolated that expressed in E. coli a protein of approximately 120 kDa in size at high levels. DNA sequence analysis of this clone showed the presence of an in-frame fusion of a region, encoding 13 amino acids located upstream, to the first ATG of the ORF. Polyclonal antibodies raised against this protein purified from E. coli were used for immunological analysis. The antibodies were able to detect a 140- and a 66-kDa polypeptide from the adenovirus type 2-infected HeLa cells on Western blots. In addition, the antibodies showed evidence of cross-reactivity with partially purified DNA polymerase alpha from uninfected HeLa cells. The subcellular localization of the viral polymerase in the infected HeLa cells by using indirect immunofluorescence showed that the viral protein is associated with globular structures in the nucleus. The replicating viral DNA and the polymerase were colocalized in these globular sites. Furthermore, HeLa cells infected with Ad5ts149, a temperature-sensitive mutant defective in DNA replication, showed the presence of these globular sites only at the permissive temperature, suggesting that these sites are probably involved in viral DNA replication.

Brain anomalies found in 18 trisomy: CT scanning, morphologic and morphometric study

Brain anomalies in 9 cases of cytogenetically proven 18 trisomy were reported. In addition to the various cerebral anomalies such as gyral or lobar abnormalities, hippocampal dysplasia, abnormal lateral geniculate body, agenesis or hypoplasia of the corpus callosum, absent or hypoplastic olfactory nerves, small optic tracts, and dysplasia of the inferior olivary nucleus, hypoplasia of the cerebellum and ventral pons was found in all cases. Cranial computed tomography was performed and revealed cerebellar and pontine hypoplasia with or without hypoplasia of the posterior cranial fossa as a characteristic finding in all 9 cases. A comparative morphometric study was done using age-matched controls. Macroscopically, the weight ratio of the cerebellum and brain stem to the whole brain was reduced compared with the controls. Microscopically, the thickness of the internal granular layer of the cerebellum was reduced especially at the convex area.

Partial sequence analysis of cloned dengue virus type 2 genome

Dengue virus (DEN) is a member of flaviviruses and contains a single, (+)-strand RNA of approx. 11 kb. Complementary DNA copy of the RNA was synthesized using reverse transcriptase and oligo(dT) as primer. The double-stranded DNA copy was cloned at the PstI site of pUC13'-1 vector and was used to transform Escherichia coli JM83. Eleven transfomants were found to contain DEN insert as screened by colony hybridization. Three clones were chosen for further characterization by nucleotide (nt), sequence analysis. Two of these clones overlapped by 470 bp. Sequences of these three clones totalling about 4.6 kb were obtained. Translation of this DNA in all possible reading frames revealed the presence of long open reading frames spanning the entire length of the cDNA clones. The putative polypeptides derived from the nt sequence are 885 and 643 amino acids in length and show homology to the region of polyprotein coded by the yellow fever virus genome corresponding to the non-structural proteins [Rice et al., Science 229 (1985) 726-733]. The significant homology between these two viruses in the regions coding for the non-structural proteins NS3 and NS5 suggests an important role for these two proteins in the life cycle of these viruses.

Difference in the inhibitory effect of linoleic acid hydroperoxide on prostacyclin biosynthesis between cultured endothelial cells from human umbilical cord vein and cultured smooth muscle cells from rabbit aorta

The biosynthesis of prostacyclin in cultured endothelial cells from human umbilical cord vein was inhibited by linoleic acid hydroperoxide at a concentration of 0.1 nmol/ml (in terms of malondialdehyde), while that in cultured smooth muscle cells from rabbit aorta was inhibited only at a higher concentration of the hydroperoxide (5.0 nmol/ml).

Gross and microscopic characteristics of stomach cancer with microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and/or disseminated intravascular coagulopathy

We described gross and microscopic characteristics of 11 autopsied cases of stomach cancer with microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and/or disseminated intravascular coagulopathy. They were divided into two groups grossly. One was superficial carcinoma and the other diffuse infiltrating and fungating carcinoma. Superficial carcinoma arose multicentrically and showed figures of signet ring cell carcinoma. This condition was accompanied by marked pulmonary tumor emboli and bone marrow dissemination in the initial stage of cancer evolution. Diffuse infiltrating and fungating carcinoma arose in the corpus and showed variable histological features. Dissemination of tumor cells to the bone marrow was seen in the terminal stage. Stomach cancer in this series consisted of two different groups on gross, microscopic and metastatic features. Signet ring cell of superficial carcinoma showed characteristic biological features with respect to local extension and metastasis.

Difference in susceptibility to injury by linoleic acid hydroperoxide between endothelial and smooth muscle cells of arteries

Electron microscopic examination of the effect of linoleic acid hydroperoxide on cultured smooth muscle cells from human umbilical artery revealed that incubation of the cells with 5.0 nmol/ml (in terms of malondialdehyde) of the hydroperoxide for 3 h caused a decrease in the electron density of the mitochondrial matrix and that dilatation of the rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum occurred when the cells were incubated with 10 nmol/ml of the hydroperoxide. These concentrations are higher by one order of magnitude than those required for the same effects on cultured endothelial cells from human umbilical vein. A similar difference in susceptibility to injury by linoleic acid hydroperoxide was found between cultured endothelial and smooth muscle cells from fetal calf aorta. The effects of the hydroperoxide on the respiration of these cells paralleled the observed morphological changes.

Injury to cultured endothelial cells from human umbilical vein by linoleic acid hydroperoxide

The effect of linoleic acid hydroperoxide on cultured endothelial cells from human umbilical vein was examined morphologically. Incubation of the cells with a low concentration (0.5 nmol/ml) of linoleic acid hydroperoxide for 3 h caused a slight decrease in electron density of the mitochondrial matrix. Upon an increase of the concentration to 1.0 nmol/ml, the damage became more pronounced, and enlargement and dilatation of the rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum were observed. At higher concentrations (5 and 7.5 nmol/ml), dilatation of the rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum became further pronounced, and many vacuoles were observed in the cells.

An ultrastructural study of extraskeletal Ewing's sarcoma

A case of extraskeletal Ewing's sarcoma was studied ultrastructurally, cytologically, and cytochemically. This tumor was, as in that of osseous origin, composed of densely packed highly undifferentiated blastemic cells and so-called "darker cells." The principal tumor cells were undifferentiated cells, which were characterized by the scant cytoplasm containing a variable amount of glycogen granules, large round or oval nuclei with dispersed chromatin, and rudimentary cytoplasmic junctional complexes. Some of the darker cells seemed to show somewhat histiocytic differentiation from principal blastemic cells, but the others were degenerating. Cytochemically, no tumor cells revealed the presence of peroxidase, lysozymes, and Factor VIII-related antigen. It is likely that both Ewing's sarcomas of osseous and extraosseous origin are defined as undifferentiated sarcoma merely characterized by the presence of glycogen.

Variant strain of Propionibacterium acnes: a clue to the aetiology of Kawasaki disease

By means of anaerobic culture for 3-4 weeks a variant strain of Propionibacterium acnes was isolated from one lymph-node biopsy specimen, and from blood samples of five of twenty-three patients with early Kawasaki disease, but from only one of fifteen blood samples from patients after 8 days' illness. No anaerobe was isolated from sixty age-matched controls with various disorders, but the same bacillus with the same serotype was isolated from house-dust mites from six patients' homes. Patients had significantly higher serum agglutination titres to these strains than controls. The antigen moiety of P acnes was found in the patients' circulating immune complexes. Inoculation of animals caused various inflammatory lesions, particularly in the reticuloendothelial system, and coronary arteritis, myocarditis, and endocarditis in one of them, suggesting that the bacillus is pathogenic. The culture filtrate of this strain showed toxicity in tissue culture. This variant strain of P acnes may have a causative role in Kawasaki disease and house-dust mites a role as vectors.

Regression of aneurysms in Kawasaki disease: a pathological study

The pathology of five aneurysms resected from four patients with Kawasaki disease was examined to elucidate the mechanisms of regression. (1) Marked intimal thickening was present in all five aneurysms. (2) Two patients treated with aspirin early in their course showed well-regenerated endothelium and marked thickening of the intima without massive thrombus; the thickened intima was rich in smooth muscle cells. These aneurysms maintained an adequate lumen of similar diameter to normal arteries, and some regressed angiographically. (3) Two patients untreated with aspirin in the acute phase had intimal thickening associated with massive thrombus formation and calcification. The pathologic appearances were similar to those of early atherosclerosis. One patient died suddenly of myocardial infarction. We conclude that the angiographically demonstrated phenomenon of aneurysm regression may result from intimal thickening mainly caused by the proliferation of smooth muscle cells not associated with massive thrombus. The thickened intima associated with massive thrombus may cause ischemic heart disease and simulate atherosclerosis. It is possible that the administration of aspirin may prevent massive thrombus formation. We hypothesize that Kawasaki disease may be an etiologic factor in some cases of early atypical coronary atherosclerosis.

Acceleration of lipid peroxidation in human paraquat poisoning

A 20-year-old man ingested approximately 15 to 20 mL of a 24% solution of paraquat. Acute renal and liver failure developed. The patient began undergoing hemodialysis and receiving vitamin E, but he died of pulmonary fibrosis the 27th day after the ingestion. During a two-week period of observation, evidence of lipid peroxidation in his serum was noted by determining malondialdehyde levels. Guinea pigs exposed to paraquat showed similar patterns of malondialdehyde presence in plasma. These results indicate that increased serum or plasma levels of lipid peroxide occurring in paraquat poisoning might reflect production of highly reactive oxygen free radicals and that, possibly, levels of lipid peroxides could serve as indicators of the efficacy of therapy directed toward scavenging free radicals.

[Malignant choroid plexus papilloma. An autopsy case report (author's transl)]

Malignant choroid plexus papilloma is a rare disease. The autopsy case of malignant choroid plexus papilloma being suggestive of the youngest in Japan, was reported. This 8-months-old baby had normal delivery history, and the development and growth were not eventful. The patient admitted to the University hospital because of projecting vomiting and meningeal irritating signs at 7.5 months in age, and septic meningitis was most suspected. He died 2 weeks afte the admission. At autopsy, a large papillary tumor with marked necrosis and hemorrhage was seen in the right lateral ventricle. The right lateral ventricle was almost replaced by the tumor. The metastasis to the brain base and the sheeding to the subarachinoidal space of the cerebellum were noted.