Biosynthesis of a blood group H1 antigen by alpha 1, 2-fucosyltransferase in PC12 cells

We have examined the expression of GDP-fucose: glycosphingolipid fucosyltransferase activity in PC12 cells and PC12 sublines in relation to the neuronal differentiation induced by nerve growth factor (NGF) or dexamethasone. Transfer of fucose to paragloboside (nLc4Cer) yielded a product which was determined to be a blood group H1 antigen (Fuc alpha 1-2Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-3Gal beta 1-4Glc-Cer) by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis and enzymatic hydrolysis, suggesting that PC12 cells have an alpha 1,2-fucosyltransferase. Lactosylceramide was also fucosylated at a reduced rate. When the differentiation of PC12 cells and PC12 subline cells, PC12D and MR31, was induced by exposure to either NGF or dexamethasone, the fucosyltransferase activity for nLc4Cer was found to decrease in both cell lines, suggesting the association with cell differentiation. This is the first report of the presence of an alpha 1,2-fucosyltransferase in cultured neuronal cell lines which catalyses the in vitro biosynthesis from nLc4Cer of a type-2 chain glycosphingolipid having the blood group H1 determinant. The disaccharides, beta-lactose and N-acetyllactosamine, were also fucosylated by PC12 cell enzyme, although the specificity for the carbohydrate structure was different from that for glycosphingolipids.

Value of three-dimensional spiral CT hepatic angiography

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to compare with conventional angiography images the diagnostic utility of three-dimensional CT hepatic angiography (CTHA) images reconstructed from spiral CT images obtained during direct injection of contrast material into hepatic arteries.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Three-dimensional CTHA images were reconstructed from spiral CTHA images obtained during direct hepatic arterial contrast material injection in 22 patients. We used maximum-intensity-projection (MIP) and shaded-surface-display (SSD) techniques. We compared matched pairs of MIP CTHA images and SSD CTHA images with conventional angiograms for depiction of peripheral (segmental to subsegmental order branches) and proximal (common to proper) hepatic arteries as well as for conspicuity of the entire hepatic arterial tree in 22 patients and for conspicuity of tumors, recognition of tumor sites, and depiction of tumor-feeding arteries in 21 patients with malignant liver tumors. Our evaluations were performed in a blinded fashion by two experienced radiologists, who reached a consensus. (These radiologists also counted the number of tumors depicted by each method in the 21 patients with malignant liver tumors.)

RESULTS

Depiction of peripheral and proximal hepatic arteries and conspicuity of the entire hepatic arterial tree were significantly better on conventional angiograms than on MIP CTHA images and SSD CTHA images. Conspicuity of tumors and recognition of tumor sites were significantly better on MIP CTHA images and SSD CTHA images than on conventional angiograms. Depiction of tumor-feeding arteries was significantly better on MIP CTHA images than on SSD CTHA images and conventional angiograms. For 47 malignant liver tumors, MIP CTHA images showed 40 (85%), SSD CTHA images showed 34 (72%), and conventional angiograms showed 20 (43%).

CONCLUSION

MIP CTHA images showed liver tumors, tumor sites, and tumor-feeding arteries better than conventional angiograms. MIP was the preferred method for three-dimensional CTHA analysis.

Isolation and chemical characterization of polysaccharides from Iwatake, Gyrophora esculenta Miyoshi

A heteropolysaccharide and a beta-D-glucan were isolated from a lichen, Gyrophora esculenta Miyoshi (Iwatake), by cold water and alkali extractions, respectively. The chemical properties of purified polysaccharides were examined by acid hydrolysis, methylation, and GC-MS. The heteropolysaccharide is a highly branched galactomannan-type polysaccharide, containing an alpha-(1->6)-linked D-mannan backbone, and the glucan is a linear (1->6)-beta-D-glucan. With regard to the antitumor activity, both the galactomannan and (1->6)-beta-D-glucan had moderate inhibition activities on Sarcoma 180, but lower than those of branched (1->3)-beta-D-glucans.

The relation between two molecular species of P-450 in adult testis and 17 alpha-hydroxylase and 17,20-lyase activities

Two P-450s from adult pig testis were purified to specific contents of 11.2 and 12.0 nmol P-450/mg protein and shown to have minimum molecular weights of 45,000 and 46,000, respectively. The absorption spectra were typical of P-450s. The P-450s were separated from the two fractions by CM-C50 Sephadex column chromatography. One P-450 (M(r) = 45000) exhibited 17,20-lyase activity of 6.78 nmol of androstenedione/min/nmol P-450, on incubation with 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone as a substrate. The other P-450 (M(r) = 46,000) exhibited no 17,20-lyase activity. Both P-450s exhibited 17 alpha-hydroxylase activity that amounted to 10 nmol of steroid products. Accordingly, the two molecular species of P-450 are thus markedly different in 17,20-lyase activity toward 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone.

Structure of an exocellular polysaccharide of Lactobacillus helveticus TN-4, a spontaneous mutant strain of Lactobacillus helveticus TY1-2

Lactobacillus helveticus strain TN-4, a spontaneous mutant strain of Lactobacillus helveticus TY1-2, produced an exocellular polysaccharide from reconstituted skim milk. On the basis of the results of methylation analysis, enzymatic digestion, mild Smith degradation, mild acid hydrolysis, acetolysis, and 1D and 2D 1H-NMR spectroscopy, it was concluded that the polysaccharide has a D-galactofuranose containing hexasaccharide repeating unit with the following structure: [formula see text]

Age-associated problems in nutrition

From the chapters described so far, it is apparent that human beings may suffer many kinds of physiological declines during aging process. However, nutritional problems due to the physiological declines could be resolved by establishment of good eating patterns, intake of nutritionally balanced diet, appropriate nutrient supplementation of vitamins as well as minerals, and good nutrition program coupled with a regular exercise as mentioned in each chapters. Here is a Short Summary from the nutritional point of view for a longer, healthier, and more vital life. The balanced diet; especially the diet enhanced by vitamins E and B6 and trace mineral zinc is helpful for the elderly to prevent the declines in the immune system. The foods rich in vitamin D and calcium; they may help to prevent the elderly from osteoporosis. The foods with low fat, dietary cholesterol and sodium; these foods may be recommended for not only the elderly but also younger people to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The good quality of diet; it is important for the elderly to avoid the monotonous diet because of their appetite declines.

Validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the Stress and Coping Inventory

We examined the validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the Stress and Coping Inventory (SCI) among 170 Japanese college students and 234 healthy subjects. The validity and reliability of this version of the SCI in the college student group were supported by significant test-retest correlations, relatively high internal consistency coefficients, and adequate correlations with the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS). AS for the healthy subject group, the reliability was supported by relatively high internal consistency coefficients, although further analyses, such as test-retest, are required. The Japanese version of the SCI appears to be suitable for use among college students.

Cytochrome P-450scc-catalyzed production of progesterone from cholestenone

Cholestenone, which is a 3-keto derivative of cholesterol, was incubated with cytochrome P-450SCC in a reconstituted hydroxylation system. Cholestenone was metabolized to progesterone with a turnover number of about 9 nmol/min/nmol P-450 in the presence of 0.01% Tween20. This value was about 70% of the maximal value for cholesterol. The final reaction product, progesterone, and three other minor reaction products, 20 alpha-hydroxycholest-4-en-3-one, 22R-hydroxycholest-4-en-3-one, 20,22-dihydroxycholest-4-en-3-one, were identified on the basis of its retention times on HPLC, thus suggesting them to be intermediates of side-chain cleavage of cholestenone. The results suggest that cholestenone is metabolized by two pathways, that is, the first hydroxylation occurs either at the C-20 position or at the C-22 position.

Dynamic MRI of the diaphragm

OBJECTIVE

To demonstrate the appearance of the diaphragm on single-slice dynamic MRI.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We evaluated the diaphragm using gadolinium-enhanced single-slice dynamic MR in 53 patients.

RESULTS

The diaphragm was partially depicted in 49 cases (92.5%). Its thickest part measured 4.4 +/- 2.2 mm, range 3 to 15 mm. Enhanced high-intensity thin layer structures were partially identified between the diaphragm and liver parenchyma in 46 cases (86.8%) at 16 to 144 s (mean +/- SD, 65.7 +/- 32.6 s) after intravenous injection of Gd-DTPA.

CONCLUSION

Dynamic MR has value and limitations in demonstrating the diaphragm.

Measurement of oligosaccharides derived from tamarind xyloglucan by competitive ELISA assay

Xyloglucan oligosaccharides, which were derived from tamarind xyloglucan by cellulase digestion, were measured by a competitive ELISA method using antibodies raised against a complex of BSA and xyloglucan nonasaccharide. By this method, tamarind xyloglucan oligosaccharides could be measured in the range of 0.1 to 40 nmol/well.

Structural study on an exocellular polysaccharide produced by Lactobacillus helveticus TY1-2

Lactobacillus helveticus TY1-2 produced an exocellular polysaccharide when it was cultured in reconstituted skim milk. This polysaccharide is a high molecular weight heteropolymer of D-glucopyranosyl, D-galactopyranosyl, and 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucopyranosyl residues in the molar ratio 3.0:2.8:0.9. The primary structure of the polysaccharide was shown by glycose analysis, methylation analysis, Smith degradation, and NMR spectroscopy to be composed of branched heptasaccharide repeating units having the following structure: [formula: see text]

Alteration of beta-D-glucan from edible mushroom after injection into mouse peritoneal cavity

Tritium-labeled antitumor beta-D-glucan derivative (T-labeled glucan) was prepared from the branched beta-1,3-D-glucan of an edible mushroom, Volvariella volvacea, by its periodate oxidation followed by reduction with NaBT4. Twenty-three hours after T-labeled glucan had been injected into the mouse peritoneal cavity, about 3% of the total radioactivity injected was found in the mouse serum. In spite of the fact that T-labeled glucan had no affinity to the anion-exchange column before injection, about 50% of the labeled beta-D-glucan in the serum thus obtained was adsorbed onto the column. The labeled beta-D-glucan fraction eluted from the column by salt gradient showed antitumor activity in vivo.

Persistent isolated proximal renal tubular acidosis--a systemic disease with a distinct clinical entity

We describe a 16-year-old female with persistent isolated proximal renal tubular acidosis, cerebral calcification, mental retardation, band keratopathy, cataracts, glaucoma and short stature. Severe metabolic acidosis and hypokalaemia were linked to an abnormally low renal threshold for bicarbonate reabsorption (8 mmol/l). Maximal rates of urinary excretion of titratable acid and ammonium were normal; erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase II was normal. This rare case represents a systemic disease with a distinct clinical entity which may be transmitted by autosomal recessive inheritance.

[Endo-tracheal intubation technique in rats using a guide wire--application for trachea transplantation]

Sometimes endo-tracheal intubation on rats is needed for experiments on the chest, but usually it is difficult. A new oral intubation technique on rats was developed. Under pentobarbital anesthesia, a tracheostomy was carried out, and a smooth coated guiding wire was inserted retrogradely up to the mouth. The tube was then inserted into the trachea from mouth along the guiding wire. This technique is applied to trachea transplantation, and subsequently reduced operative mortality markedly from 54% to 2%.

Regulation of expression of the genes for a sex pheromone by an inducer of the sex pheromone in the Closterium peracerosum-strigosum-littorale complex

A sex pheromone, protoplast-release-inducing protein (PR-IP), of the Closterium peracerosum-strigosum-littorale complex is known to induce the release of protoplasts from mating-type minus (Mt-) cells during sexual reproduction and to have two subunit polypeptides of 19 and 42 kDa. Here, we describe the regulation mechanism for the release of the PR-IP. The sex pheromone was fractionated to yield subunits of 19 and 42 kDa, respectively, and each subunit was treated with V8 protease and with CNBr. By reference to the partial amino-acid sequences of the digested polypeptides, oligo nucleotides were synthesized and used as primers for the combined reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Amplified fragments of DNA, of 130 bp in the case of the 19-kDa subunit and of 330 bp in the case of the 42-kDa subunit, were obtained, sequenced, and used as probes to identify the respective transcripts. From the results of Northern hybridization, the sizes of transcripts were estimated to be 1.2 kb for the 19-kDa subunit and 1.4 kb for the 42-kDa subunit. These transcripts appeared transiently only when mating-type plus (mt+) cells were treated with another sex pheromone (PR-IP Inducer) for more than 4 h in the light. By immunoblotting with anti-42-kDa-subunit antiserum, it was shown that PR-IP accumulated gradually in the medium but not in the mt+ cells after treatment with PR-IP inducer in the light.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy for liver metastases from breast cancer

Between 1985 and 1992, 56 patients with unresectable liver metastases from breast cancer were treated by repeated hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy employing an implantable port system. 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) at 330 mg/m2 per week. Adriamycin (ADR) at 20 mg/m2 every 4 weeks, and mitomycin C (MMC) at 2.7 mg/m2 every 2 weeks were given to 42 patients. The remaining 14 patients received 5-FU at 330 mg/m2 per week and epirubicin (EPIR) at 20 mg/m2 every 2 weeks. As a rule, the treatment was performed on an outpatient basis. The side effects and complications observed included myelosuppression (41%), hepatic arterial occlusion (23%), and gastric mucositis (20%), but no major toxicity was encountered. The response rate (CR+PR) of the evaluated patients as determined from CT scans was 81%. The overall median survival period was 12.5 months. Only 14% of the patients died due to regrowth of liver metastases, and in 70% of the total cases, death due to liver metastases was avoided by this treatment. Thus, repeated hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy for liver metastases from breast cancer might be capable of prolonging the survival of patients via avoidance of death due to the liver metastases.

Estimation of xyloglucan in vegetables by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

We prepared the antibody specific against plant xyloglucan and applied it to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in order to estimate xyloglucan contents in several vegetables. In this experiment, xyloglucan was detected in the 24% aqueous potassium hydroxide-soluble fractions of tomato, cabbage, lettuce, and eggplant. The xyloglucan contents of these vegetables were estimated to be 1.4 mg, 54 micrograms, 14 micrograms, and 4 micrograms per one hundred grams of their edible portions, respectively, using tamarind xyloglucan as a standard xyloglucan.

[Changes in arterial blood flow patterns by patients' posture during hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy assessed by 99mTc-MAA perfusion scintigraphy]

Hepatic arterial perfusion scintigraphy (HAPS) with 99mTc-macroaggregated albumin (MAA) was performed to reveal the effect of patients' posture for the arterial blood flow patterns in hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) chemotherapy. 20 patients of liver metastases with the percutaneously implanted catheter into the hepatic artery underwent HAPS following administration of 99mTc-MAA at the supine and the upright position under one week interval. 10 ml of the saline with radionuclide was injected at a rate of 1 ml per minute. Acquired two images at the different position of each patient were compared and grouped into three classes; similar, slightly different and different. Of 20 patients, 6 (30%) were judged as similar, 8 (40%) as slightly different, and 6 (30%) as different. These results suggest that the drug distribution can change by patients' posture in case of the slow rate HAI performed with continuous infusion pump.

Purification from adult pig testicular P-450 and 17 alpha-hydroxylase activity of P-450 containing liposomal membranes

A cytochrome P-450 from adult pig testicular microsomes was purified to a specific content of 12 nmol P-450/mg protein. P-450 has a minimum molecular weight of 46000 +/- 1000, as judged on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Adult testicular P-450 is prepared in the low-spin form with an absorbance maximum at 417 nm. The substrate-induced difference spectrum with progesterone is a typical I difference spectrum. P-450 was incorporated into liposomal membranes composed of phosphatidylcholine, and 17 alpha-hydroxylase activity was shown to amount to 15.5 nmol product/min/nmol of P-450. Furthermore, testicular cytochrome b 5 did not increase the 17 alpha-hydroxylase activity, and the activity was largely inhibited by the addition of sodium cholate, Emulgen 913 and testicular lipid.

[Intermittent hepatic arterial infusion of high-dose 5-FU for liver metastases from colorectal cancer]

A phase II study of weekly intermittent hepatic arterial infusion of high dose 5-FU for liver metastases from colorectal cancer was carried out. Thirty-two patients with unresectable liver metastases from colorectal cancer were entered in this study. Nausea (< or = grade 2) was observed in 31% of the cases, mild elevation of rGTP in 13%, biloma in 9%, and hepatic arterial occlusion in 22%. However, no major toxicity occurred. The response rate evaluated by CT-scans was 75% (4 CR + 20 PR/32), and the overall median survival was 22 months. Significant differences of median survival were observed in the extra-hepatic lesions [extrahepatic lesions: (-) 16 months vs (+) 22 months]. This regimen showed high activity without major toxicity and the reduction of pts' QOLs caused by pumps. It confirmed by a study involving a large number of cases, this regimen will become a standard regimen for unresectable liver metastases from colorectal cancer.

[Natural type interferon-alpha (Namalwa) therapy for multiple myeloma complicated by hemolytic anemia]

A 45-year-old woman with Bence-Jones type multiple myeloma was treated with natural type alpha-interferon (Namalwa interferon), 3 million IU every other day subcutaneously. After about 5 months, she developed hemolytic anemia. However, screening tests for autoantibodies, including direct and indirect antiglobulin (Coombs' tests), were negative. This report is the first case in which hemolytic anemia appeared to be caused by natural type alpha-interferon. It is likely that interferons will be used in treating increasing numbers of patients and that more patients will develop this complication.

Preparation and characterization of some alpha-D-glucans containing 3,6-anhydro D-glucose

Alfa-D-glucans containing a 3,6-anhydro D-glucosyl residue were prepared from three kinds of alpha-D-glucan (elsinan, pullulan, and amylose), and the physical properties of these 3,6-anhydro glucans were examined. The method employed for introducing the 3,6-anhydro linkage into a D-glucosyl residue involved sulfation of the O-6 position with dimethylsulfoxide-sulfur trioxide complex and a subsequent alkali treatment of the resulting partially sulfated glucan. This introduction of the 3,6-anhydro linkage caused a decrease in viscosity of the original polysaccharides and made them resistant to the action of hydrolytic enzymes. Hydrolysis of the 3,6-anhydro glucans with dilute acid afforded several oligosaccharides whose reducing end was 3,6-anhydro D-glucose.