Lack of chemopreventive effects of α-eleostearic acid on 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) and 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced mammary and colon carcinogenesis in female Sprague–Dawley rats

alpha-Eleostearic acid is one of the conjugated linolenic acids from tung oil, which is obtained from the seeds of Aleurites fordii. The effects of dietary alpha-eleostearic acid (18:3, n-5) on the post-initiation period of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) and 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced mammary and colon carcinogenesis were examined using female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. For initiation, rats were given subcutaneous injections of 40mg/kg body weight (5 times) and 20mg/kg body weight (3 times) of DMH during the age of 6-8 weeks and a single intragastric administration of 50mg/kg body weight of DMBA at 9 weeks. Then, the animals were treated with 0%, 0.01%, 0.1% or 1.0% alpha-eleostearic acid for 34 weeks. Control rats received the basal diet alone or 1.0% alpha-eleostearic acid without prior initiation treatment. All surviving animals were killed at week 37 of the experiment. There were no statistically significant alterations in any of the parameters for either mammary or colon tumors. These results thus indicate that alpha-eleostearic acid does not exert clear modification effects on DMBA and DMH-induced mammary and colon carcinogenesis, at least under the present experimental conditions.

Innervation and functional changes in mesenteric perivascular calcitonin gene-related peptide- and neuropeptide Y-containing nerves following topical phenol treatment

We have previously shown that age-related reduction of innervation and function in mesenteric perivascular calcitonin gene-related peptide-containing vasodilator nerves takes place in spontaneously hypertensive rats. The present study was performed to investigate innervation and functional changes in perivascular calcitonin gene-related peptide- and adrenergic neuropeptide Y-containing nerves after topical treatment with phenol, which damages nerve fibers, around the rat superior mesenteric artery. Under pentobarbital-Na anesthesia, 8-week-old Wistar rats underwent in vivo topical application of phenol (10% phenol in 90% ethanol) or saline (sham rats) to the superior mesenteric artery proximal to the bifurcation of the abdominal aorta. After the treatment, the animals were subjected to immunohistochemistry of the 3rd branch of small arteries proximal to the intestine and to vascular responsiveness testing on day 3 through day 14. The innervation levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide-like immunoreactivity containing fibers and neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity containing fibers were markedly reduced on day 3 to day 14 and on day 5 to day 14 after the treatment, compared with those in sham-operated rats, respectively. In perfused mesenteric vascular beds isolated from phenol-treated rats, adrenergic nerve-mediated vasoconstriction and calcitonin gene-related peptide nerve-mediated vasodilation in response to periarterial nerve stimulation (2-12 Hz) were significantly decreased on day 3 and day 7. Neurogenic release of norepinephrine in phenol-treated rats on day 7 was significantly smaller that that in sham-operated rats. Nerve growth factor content in the mesenteric arteries of phenol-treated rats was significantly lower than that in sham-operated rats. Administration of nerve growth factor using osmotic mini-pumps for 7 days after the phenol treatment resulted in greater density of calcitonin gene-related peptide- and neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity fibers than in phenol-treated rats and restored decreased vascular responses to periarterial nerve stimulation. These results suggest that topical phenol-treatment of the mesenteric artery effectively induces functional denervation of perivascular nerves, which can be prevented or reversed by nerve growth factor treatment.

A subchronic toxicity study of dunaliella carotene in F344 rats

Dunaliella carotene, extracted from dunaliella alga (Dunaliella bardawil or Dunaliella salina), for use as a food-coloring agent, has beta-carotene as its mainly constituent. As there have been no reports of toxicological evaluation, a 90-day subchronic toxicity study was here performed in F344 rats at dose levels of 0 (control), 0.63%, 1.25%, 2.5% and 5% in powdered basal diet. The average daily intakes of dunaliella carotene were 352, 696, 1420 and 2750 mg/kg/day, respectively, for males, and 370, 748, 1444 and 2879 mg/kg/day for females. No mortality or treatment-related clinical signs were observed throughout the experimental period in any of the groups. Body weight gain was slightly but significantly (p < 0.05) reduced from week 5 to the end of the experiment in 2.5% and 5% males. Increased PLT were observed in 1.25% and 5% males, and 2.5% and 5% females. Significant elevations or tendencies for increase in serum T. Cho and Ca were observed in all treated males and females, with clear dose-dependence in males. Organ weight measurement and histopathological observation revealed no toxicological changes. Based on growth suppression, no-observed-adverse-effect-levels (NOAELs) were estimated to be 1.25% (696 mg/kg/day) for males and 5% (2879 mg/kg/day) for females. As increases in serum Ca were observed in the lowest group in both sexes, a no-observed-effect level (NOEL) could not be determined in this study.

[Chemo-endocrine therapy for newly diagnosed stage D2 prostate cancer]

We evaluated 175 patients with newly diagnosed stage D2 prostate cancer who had been treated in our hospital between 1992 and 2003 to compare chemo-endocrine therapy with endocrine therapy alone. One hundred and thirty seven patients were treated with endocrine therapy alone. The other 38 patients received chemo-endocrine therapy, which included medical or surgical castration with/without antiandrogen plus VIP (Vincristine, Ifosfamide, Peplomycin) regimen or other cytotoxic agents. The patients treated with chemo-endocrine therapy had a significantly better prognosis than the patients treated with endocrine therapy alone (p<0.05), although treatment was not randomized. The cause-specific survival rates at 5 years for the chemo-endocrine therapy group and the endocrine therapy group were 61.6% and 34.8%, respectively. These data suggest that chemo-endocrine therapy is a potentially effective treatment for newly diagnosed stage D2 prostate cancer.

Lack of carcinogenicity of d-xylose given in the diet to F344 rats for two years

The two year carcinogenicity of D-xylose was examined in groups of 50 male and 50 female F344 rats at dietary doses of 0% (control), 2.5% and 5%. The doses were selected on the basis of results from a 13-week subchronic toxicity study. Growth suppression and soft feces were observed in male and female rats of the 5% group. However, no significant differences from the controls were noted with regard to clinical signs, mortality and hematological findings. Decrease in absolute weight and increase in relative weight of the brain in males, and decrease of absolute kidney weight in females were observed in the 5% group, but there were no remarkable histopathological changes. A variety of tumors developed in all groups, including the controls, but all were histologically similar to those known to occur spontaneously in F344 rats, and no statistically significant increase in the incidence of any type of neoplastic lesion was found for either sex in the treated groups. Thus, it was concluded that, under the present experimental conditions, D-xylose is not carcinogenic to F344 rats.

Lack of subchronic toxicity of an aqueous extract of Agaricus blazei Murrill in F344 rats

Agaricus blazei Murrill, an edible mushroom, is widely used as a functional food due to its possible medicinal effects. Aqueous extracts are also used as food additive to provide an agreeable bitter taste. As a part of its safety assessment, the present 90-day subchronic toxicity study was performed in F344 rats. To establish a no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL), rats were fed powder diet containing A. blazei Murrill aqueous extract at dose levels of 0 (basal diet), 0.63, 1.25, 2.5 and 5% (maximum) for 90 days. During the experiment, there were no remarkable changes in general appearance and no deaths occurred in any experimental group. Although serum blood urea nitrogen was slightly but significantly increased in males of the 2.5 and 5% groups, no related histopathological changes were observed in the kidney, and serum creatinine levels were rather reduced, suggesting the increase of blood urea nitrogen to be of little toxicological significance. Hematology, organ weight measurement and histopathological observation revealed no test compound-related toxicological changes. In conclusion, A. blazei Murrill extract even at 5% in the diet (2654 mg/kgb.w./day for male rats and 2965 mg/kgb.w./day for female rats) did not cause remarkable adverse effects in F344 rats. Thus, the NOAEL was concluded to be 5% in the diet.

Kit as a human oncogenic tyrosine kinase

Signals through Kit receptor tyrosine kinase are essential for development of erythrocytes, melanocytes, germ cells, mast cells and interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs). Mice and rats with a double gene dose of loss-of-function mutations of Kit show depletion of these cells. Although human homozygotes with loss-of-function mutations of Kit have not been reported, gain-of-function mutations of Kit result in development of tumors from mast cells, germ cells and ICCs in humans. The ICC tumors are called gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), and GISTs are a good target for the Kit inhibitor imatinib mesylate. The interrelationship between the type of Kit gain-of-function mutations and the therapeutic effect of imatinib mesylate has been well characterized in GISTs. Kit is interesting from both a biological and clinical view-point.

A truncated isoform of the PP2A B56gamma regulatory subunit reduces irradiation-induced Mdm2 phosphorylation and could contribute to metastatic melanoma cell radioresistance

F10, a subline of the B16 mouse melanoma cell line, is itself the parent of the more metastatic BL6 line. BL6 cells differ from F10 cells by an alteration of the gene encoding the B56gamma regulatory subunit of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), which results in mRNA encoding a truncated variant of the subunit (deltagamma1). Expression of deltagamma 1 protein is detectable only when BL6 cells are transplanted into mice and then gamma-irradiated. Recently, B56gamma subunit-containing PP2A holoenzymes have shown to dephosphorylate Mdm2, a negative regulator of p53. Thus, we assessed whether the expression of deltagamma1 affects irradiation-induced phosphorylation of Mdm2 and radioresistance of melanoma cells by perturbing the regulation of p53. Western blot analyses revealed that irradiated COS-7 and NIH3T3 cells stably expressing deltagamma1 showed significantly less irradiation-induced Mdm2 phosphorylation. Mdm2 phosphorylation reduces the ability of Mdm2 to target p53 for degradation, which probably explained why p53 protein levels in NIH3T3 cells expressing deltagamma1 were not significantly elevated by irradiation, unlike in wild-type cells. This was also true for F10 cells transfected with deltagamma1 (F10deltagamma1) when the cells expressed deltagamma1 after being irradiated in vivo. p53 mRNA levels in irradiated wild-type and deltagamma 1-expressing cells were both only slightly elevated, suggesting that Mdm2 regulates p53 levels by a post-transcriptional mechanism. p53-mediated induction of the pro-apoptotic gene encoding Bax was also significantly lower in F10deltagamma1 cells irradiated in vivo. Moreover, F10deltagamma1 and BL6 cells were less apoptotic than F10 cells when the cells were irradiated in vivo. The p53 in F10 cells appears to be as functional as that in NIH3T3 cells because irradiation-induced expression of p53-target genes was comparable in both cells. Collectively, deltagamma1 appears to reduce irradiation-induced Mdm2 phosphorylation, which then blocks irradiation-stimulated p53 accumulation. Defects, such as deltagamma1, in PP2A may thus contribute to melanoma cell radioresistance.

Use of the curved linear-array echo endoscope to identify gastrorenal shunts in patients with gastric fundal varices

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS

: Balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (B-RTO) has emerged as an effective, minimally invasive treatment for fundal varices. B-RTO requires a spontaneously developed gastrorenal shunt as a pathway for the balloon catheter to reach the fundal varices. We used a curved linear-array (CLA) echo endoscope in patients with fundal varices to identify gastrorenal shunts, and compared the detection rate with the gold standard, contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 40 patients with fundal varices were examined with both CLA echo endoscopy and CECT. The CECT images were retrospectively and independently evaluated by two gastroenterologists who were unaware of the clinical details, including the results of the CLA echo endoscopy.

RESULTS

CLA echo endoscopy identified gastrorenal shunts in 26/40 patients with fundal varices. It visualized the shunt in a longitudinal direction and provided images of the connections of the shunt at both ends, the fundal varices and the left renal vein/branch of the inferior adrenal vein. The kappa index for CLA echo endoscopy and CECT for the identification of gastrorenal shunt was 0.9 (95 % CI, 0.6 to 1.0). When the cutoff point for the diameter of the gastrorenal shunt detected by the CLA echo endoscope was set at equal to or greater than 5 mm, the kappa index was 1.0 (95 % CI, 0.7 to 1.0).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that CLA echo endoscopy can successfully identify gastrorenal shunt and provide detailed morphological information. It also efficiently identifies patients suitable for B-RTO, particularly in cases of acute bleeding. It also has considerable potential for providing detailed information with regard to the treatment of gastric varices.

Penicillin derivatives induce chemical structure-dependent root development, and application for plant transformation

We investigated five penicillin derivatives that are popularly used for transformation experiments with Agrobacterium rhizogenes-penicillin G, carbenicillin, ampicillin, amoxicillin and cephalexin-for their effects on the growth and morphology of Beta vulgaris, Capsicum annuum and Glehnia littoralis roots. Attention was given to the relationship between their chemical structures and functions. Ampicillin was found to stimulate root elongation but inhibit root branching, whereas carbenicillin inhibited root elongation but promoted root branching. Root cultures were also exposed to hydrolyzed products of these antibiotics-i.e. phenylmalonic acid (PM), phenylglycine and 6-aminopenicillanic acid (6-APA): PM inhibited root elongation the most, while root elongation was supported best by 6-APA. These results indicate that both the side chains and the major component of penicillin derivatives affect root development and that the nature of the side chains is responsible for the responses. Ampicillin but not carbenicillin was used in subsequent experiments described herein to eliminate bacteria and to support root growth of transformants of the recalcitrant plants.

Identification of two types of synaptic activity in the earthworm nervous system during locomotion

In the ventral nervous system of the earthworm, a central pattern generator and motor neurons are activated during locomotion. We have previously reported that bath application of octopamine (OA) induces fictive locomotion in the earthworm, and the burst frequency of electrical activity from the first lateral nerves increases with OA concentration. However, there are no reports concerning locomotor neural networks in the earthworm. To identify neural networks involved in fictive locomotion, we optically monitored activity-dependent fluorescent staining in the earthworm ventral nerve cord (VNC) with a styryl dye, N-(3-triethylammoniumpropyl)-4-(4-(dibutylamino)styryl)pyridinium dibromide (FM1-43), and a confocal laser scanning microscope. OA induces FM1-43 fluorescence in a dose-dependent manner, with bright fluorescent spots of 3-10 microm in diameter observed to be localized around specified neurons in the segmental ganglion of the VNC. We compared OA dose-response curves for FM1-43 fluorescence with the bursting frequency for fictive locomotion, and found that two types of curves could be identified: one fluorescence response shows a similar dose-dependency to that of the burst frequency, while another response has a higher sensitivity to OA. From these results, we suggest that OA acts as one of the neuromodulators for the earthworm locomotion. This is the first attempt to record motor and inter-neuronal activities simultaneously in a locomotor network in the earthworm.

What is the physiological function of mast cells?

Under physiological conditions, skin mast cells preferentially localize around nerves, blood vessels and hair follicles. This observation, which dates back to Paul Ehrlich, intuitively suggests that these enigmatic, multifacetted protagonists of natural immunity are functionally relevant to many more aspects of tissue physiology than just to the generation of inflammatory and vasodilatory responses to IgE-dependent environmental antigens. And yet, for decades, mainstream-mast cell research has been dominated by a focus on the -undisputedly prominent and important - mast cell functions in type I immune responses and in the pathogenesis and management of allergic diseases. Certainly, it is hard to believe that the very large and rather selectively distributed number of mast cells in normal, uninflamed, non-infected, non-traumatized mammalian skin or mucosal tissue simply hanging around there lazily day and night, just wait for the odd allergen or parasite-associated antigen to come by so the mast cell can finally swing into action. Indeed, the past decade has witnessed a renaissance of mast cell research 'beyond allergy', along with a more systematic exploration of the surprisingly wide range of physiological functions that mast cells may be involved in. The current debate sketches many exciting horizons that have recently come into our vision during this intriguing, ongoing search.

A subchronic toxicity study of shea nut color in Wistar rats

Shea nut color, obtained from nuts of the shea tree (Butyrospermum parkii), is used as a food-coloring agent. Flavonoid pigments are considered to be the responsible constituents. As there have been no reports of toxicological evaluation, a 13-week subchronic toxicity study was performed in Wistar Hannover rats at dose levels of 0 (control), 0.07, 0.31, 1.25 and 5% in powdered basal diet. The average of daily shea nut color intake was 51.3, 226.1, 986.8 and 3775.5 mg/kg/day for males and 56.4, 272.9, 1166.7 and 4387.7 mg/kg/day for females, respectively. During the administration period, daily observation of clinical signs and weekly measurement of body weights and food consumption were performed. After the end of the treatment, hematology, serum biochemistry, organ weight and histopathological examinations were conducted. No significant toxicological changes were observed in any parameters in this study. Hence, the no adverse effect dose of shea nut color was estimated to be greater than 5.0% for both sexes (3775.5 mg/kg/day for males and 4387.7 mg/kg/day for females).

Quantitative detection of binding of PCNA protein to DNA strands on a 27 MHz quartz-crystal microbalance

We report here binding kinetics of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) to the dsDNA immobilized on a 27 MHz quartz-crystal microbalance. PCNA is a toroidal-shaped protein and encircles dsDNA sliding along the strand. The binding behavior of this sliding clamp protein was compared with those of other side binding proteins such as GCN4-bZIP and Zn-finger peptides.

IGSF4: a new intercellular adhesion molecule that is called by three names, TSLC1, SgIGSF and SynCAM, by virtue of its diverse function

Members of the immunoglobulin superfamily often play key roles in intercellular adhesion. IGSF4 is a novel immunoglobulin (Ig)-like intercellular adhesion molecule. Three Ig-like domains are included in the extracellular domain of IGSF4 and mediate homophilic or heterophilic interactions independently of Ca2+. The cytoplasmic domain of IGSF4 contains the binding motifs that connect to actin fibers. Since IGSF4 has been characterized by several independent research groups, this molecule is called by three names, TSLC1, SgIGSF and SynCAM. IGSF4 was first characterized as a tumor suppressor of non-small cell lung cancer and termed TSLC1, although how IGSF4 suppresses tumor growth remains unknown. Silencing of the IGSF4 gene was primarily achieved by allelic loss and promoter methylation in this type of cancers. Soon after this discovery, IGSF4 was found to have roles in adhesion of spermatogenic cells to Sertoli cells and mast cells to fibroblasts and termed SgIGSF. Other researchers revealed that IGSF4 drives synaptic formation of neural cells and termed it SynCAM.

Weber-Christian disease presenting with ocular manifestations

A Japanese patient with Weber-Christian disease (WCD) presenting with ocular symptoms is reported. Panniculitis in the retrobulbar fat was diagnosed according to the histological findings from biopsy specimens, and improved over a month under steroid administration. Only three patients showing ocular manifestations have previously been reported. Panniculitis was in the late stage and a medium dose of prednisolone was effective in this patient. A biopsy of the orbital fat was useful for diagnosis. However, it is important to recognise that the stage of inflammation varies according to the fat tissue involved by WCD.

Association of a haplotype in the serotonin 5-HT4 receptor gene (HTR4) with Japanese schizophrenia

The serotonin 5-HT(4) receptor (5-HT(4)) is implicated in cognitive function, of which impairment is hypothesized as one of the core disturbances of schizophrenia. Linkage analysis shows that 5q33.2, in which HTR4 is located, is schizophrenia-susceptibility loci. We therefore hypothesized that variation in the 5-HT(4) receptor gene (HTR4) modifies genetic susceptibility to schizophrenia. HTR4 coding regions and introns that include the branch sites of HTR4 were investigated in 96 unrelated Japanese schizophrenics using denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. One silent single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) within the coding region and six intronic SNPs were detected. 353 + 6G > A was located in the branch site that could be effect to RNA splicing. None of the four SNPs, in which rare-allele frequencies were more than 10% was associated with 189 schizophrenics, in comparison to 299 controls. However, a highly significant association between schizophrenia and haplotype A-T (OR = 0.13 [0.03-0.58]) was detected. These findings suggest that haplotype A-T itself may inhibit the occurrence of schizophrenia, or that another susceptible genetic variants may exist within linkage disequilibrium.

A rare case of pulmonary bronchogenic cyst associated with bronchial atresia in the same lobe

A rare case of 49-year-old woman having pulmonary bronchogenic cyst associated with bronchial atresia in the same lobe was presented. The diagnosis was confirmed by aortography and operation specimen. Three-dimensional reconstructed images of computed tomography clearly demonstrated the defference between mucoid impaction of bronchial trees in the left S9 not communicating with hilar bronchus and the cyst in the left S10 oppressing surrounding vessels.

An attempt to isolate genes responsible for spontaneous and experimental metastasis in the mouse model

Cancer develops and progresses as genetic alterations occur subsequently. Onset process of cancer has become well understood in some types of cancer, such as colorectal cancers. In this process, responsible alterations were identified in numbers of oncogenes such as k-ras, and tumor suppressor genes such as p53, as Vogelstein proposed earlier in the multistage carcinogenesis theory. In contrast, our understanding remains short to draw such an adequate diagram for the process during which cancer becomes more malignant, i.e., metastatic. To examine the molecular basis for this progression step, mouse metastasis models have been established where tumor cell lines are inoculated into mice and metastasize to specific organs. The model using B16 melanoma cells is one of the most developed. BL6 subline, one of the most metastatic, was obtained from F10 subline simply through six rounds of in vitro selection. Nonetheless, BL6 cells metastasize lungs much more heavily than F10 cells when injected subcutaneously. The difference in gene expression between the two sublines is considered rather small but relevant for spontaneous metastasis. We began our research by elaborating a method for the construction of subtracted cDNA libraries, and made it applicable to BL6 and F10 cells. As a result, we were able to isolate a couple of genes that were expressed differently between the two sublines. As might be expected, each of the genes appeared to play a role more or less in distinct aspects of spontaneous metastasis of B16 melanoma cells. Moreover, similar roles were expected for the genes in the process by which human melanoma cells metastasize.

Pilot study of S-1 in patients with disseminated gastric cancer

The prognosis for patients with advanced gastric cancer remains poor. Peritoneal metastasis is the most frequent cause of death in patients with gastric cancer, but the most appropriate treatment for patients with disseminated gastric cancer remains uncertain. S-1 is a newly developed oral fluoropyrimidine derivative with unusually high activity against several tumor types. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of S-1 for the treatment of patients with disseminated gastric cancer. A total of 31 patients with primary or recurrent gastric cancer with peritoneal dissemination were entered into this study. One course of this single-drug therapy consisted of S-1 (80-120 mg) twice daily for 28 days, followed by a 2-week period of no treatment. These treatments were repeated until disease progression or patient refusal. With a median follow-up period in survivors of 293 days, the median survival time was 357 days. Toxicities were mild and no patient withdrew from treatment before disease progression. Grade 3 hematotoxicity was observed in only one patient. S-1 showed promising activity against gastric cancer with peritoneal dissemination and acceptable toxicity. Further evaluation of S-1 treatment is warranted in this disease.

Gingipains in the culture supernatant of Porphyromonas gingivalis cleave CD4 and CD8 on human T cells

Porphyromonas gingivalis has been shown to attack host defense systems through proteolytic cleavage of a wide variety of members of the systems. In this study, we examined the ability of P. gingivalis culture supernatant to alter the expression of human T cell surface proteins. As judged by flow cytometric analysis, detection of CD4 expression was completely eliminated by the supernatant, but CD8 was less sensitive. When the culture supernatant was added with reducing agents, proteolytic activity was enhanced, resulting in the cleavage of CD8. Mitogenic response of T cells to phytohemagglutinin or concanavalin A was decreased by the treatment of the cells with the culture supernatant of P. gingivalis. The three forms of gingipains (high molecular mass arginine-specific gingipain, arginine-specific gingipain 2 and lysine-specific gingipain) purified from the culture supernatant of P. gingivalis actively cleaved CD4 and CD8 on human T cells, indicating that proteolytic activity of the culture supernatant was due to gingipains. These results suggest that cysteine proteinases like gingipains released from P. gingivalis cleave T cell surface proteins and impede T cell function.

Polyclonal nature of diffuse proliferation of interstitial cells of Cajal in patients with familial and multiple gastrointestinal stromal tumours

BACKGROUND

Diffuse proliferation of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) in the myenteric plexus layer of the intestine has been described in patients with familial and multiple gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs). However, it is not fully understood whether proliferation is polyclonal or monoclonal.

AIMS

To evaluate the clonal nature of diffuse ICC proliferation in familial and multiple GIST cases, we carried out clonal analysis using inactivation at the human androgen receptor (HUMARA) locus.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Diffuse ICC proliferation tissues from three female patients were microdissected using a laser capture microdissection (LCM) system. Normal intestinal mucosal tissues were also microdissected for polyclonal controls and GIST tissues for monoclonal controls from the same patients, and genomic DNA was extracted. After digestion by restriction enzyme HhaI, the HUMARA locus was amplified by a fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure and the PCR products were analysed.

RESULTS

One case was uninformative because it was homozygous at the HUMARA locus. In the two other cases, PCR products from the diffuse ICC proliferation showed two alleles as well as those from normal intestinal mucosal tissues, indicating that ICC proliferation was polyclonal. In contrast, PCR products from associated GIST tissues showed only one allele, indicating that GISTs were monoclonal.

CONCLUSION

The results suggested that diffuse ICC proliferation in familial and multiple GIST cases was non-neoplastic hyperplasia.

Association between adult-onset Still's disease and interleukin-18 gene polymorphisms

Recently, we reported that serum concentration of IL-18 is strikingly high in patients with adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD). The aim of the present study was to screen for genetic polymorphisms in the human IL-18 (hIL-18) gene and to determine the association of polymorphisms with susceptibility to AOSD. We investigated the 6.7 kb region upstream of exon 2 of hIL-18 gene, in which a promoter activity had been reported. Sixteen AOSD patients, 144 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and 92 healthy control individuals were studied. We found seven single nucleotide polymorphisms and a single 9 bp insertion which were frequently present in the AOSD patients. Three haplotypes including a unique combination of these polymorphisms were also determined. Of them, haplotype S01 contained all eight of these polymorphisms. The frequency of individuals carrying a diplotype configuration, ie a combination of two haplotypes, of S01/S01 was significantly higher in the AOSD patients than in the healthy controls (P=0.00059, Fischer's exact probability test, odds ratio [OR]=7.81, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]=2.48-24.65) and the RA patients (P=0.015, Fischer's exact probability test, OR=4.0, 95% CI=1.39-11.54). We therefore conclude that possession of the diplotype configuration of S01/S01 is a major genetic risk factor for susceptibility to AOSD.

[Carcinoma in situ of the urinary tract--in patients with positive cytologies of upper urinary tract samples]

PURPOSE

The present two-tiered study demonstrates first, the value of upper urinary tract sampling in cytological diagnoses, and multiple cold punch biopsies of bladder, in the cases of carcinoma in situ (CIS) of the urinary tract. The second segment assesses the value of Double-J catheter-based BCG treatment, in the case of positive upper urinary-tract sampling.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We tested a total thirty three patients (26 man, 7 woman, median age: 67.8 years) who demonstrated two serial positive voiding cytologies. Cystoscopic investigations of bladder tumors, as well as radiologic studies of the upper urinary tract both yielded negative findings. Cytological samples obtained from upper urinary tract of all 33 individuals were next to subjected to multiple cold punch biopsies of bladder.

RESULTS

Among the seven patients whose bladders displayed no abnormalities, cytological tests of the upper urinary tract samples determined that 2 of subjects fell into class III, while the other five were diagnosed class V. In 7 other cases diagnosed as suffering from dysplasia of bladder, cytological findings for two upper urinary tract were class I and II, while one case was class III, and 4 others fell within class V. Of the 19 patients suffering from bladder CIS, eight were diagnosed class I or II, three cases as class III and eight other cases, class V, in upper urinary tract cytologies. At the original site of the urinary CIS, the bladder was affected in 11 cases, the upper urinary tract in 9 patients, and a combined attack on the bladder and upper urinary tract, in 8 others. Of seventeen patients whose upper urinary tract samples produced positive reading, thirteen had had double-J catheter run from bladders to renal pelves as well as treatment consisting of the intravesical instillation of BCG. From thorough cytological evaluations, we learned that the urine of eleven of these 13 individuals, which initially tested positive, had turned negative following intravesical instillation of BCG. Although bladder vesicles proved susceptible to certain minor irritations and slight fevers were not uncommon on treatment-days, such side effects disappeared, once BCG treatment ended.

CONCLUSIONS

From painstaking observations, it was concluded that cytological investigations of the upper urinary tract were indispensable to the proper diagnosis of urinary tract CIS, and that intravesical BCG treatment with Double-J catheter is both safe and effective when treating the patients suffering from upper urinary tract CIS.

Determination of probability distribution of diplotype configuration (diplotype distribution) for each subject from genotypic data using the EM algorithm

Haplotype analysis is important for mapping traits. Recently, methods for estimating haplotype frequencies from genotypes of unrelated individuals based on the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm have been developed. Our program estimates haplotype frequencies in the population and determines the posterior probability distribution of diplotype configuration (diplotype distribution) for each subject based on the estimated haplotype frequencies. Samples from three ethnic groups for the smoothelin gene (SMTN) and those from three Japanese groups for serum amyloid A genes (SAA@) were analyzed. The estimated diplotype distribution for each individual was concentrated, in most cases, in a single diplotype configuration. The diplotype configuration thus determined was the same as that determined in in vitro experiments, with one exception. Thus, the diplotype configurations determined using the estimated haplotype frequencies from unrelated individuals are reliable. Using this method, the risk of a subject developing a phenotype may be estimated from the diplotype distribution when the phenotype is associated with diplotype configurations.

Catalog of 258 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes encoding three organic anion transporters, three organic anion-transporting polypeptides, and three NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase flavoproteins

We present here a series of high-density maps of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) detected in genes encoding three organic-anion transporters, three organic anion-transporting polypeptides, and three nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, reduced:ubiquinone oxidoreductase flavoproteins. A total of 258 SNPs were identified among these nine genes through systematic screening of DNA from 48 Japanese individuals: 17 in 5' flanking regions, three in 5' untranslated regions, 13 in coding regions, 211 in introns, six in 3' untranslated regions, and 8 in 3' flanking regions. By comparing our data with SNPs deposited in the dbSNP database in the National Center for Biotechnology Information, we determined that 236 (91.5%) were novel. In addition, 46 genetic variations of other types were discovered within these loci. These high-resolution maps will serve as a useful resource for analyzing potential associations between variations in these nine genes and differences in human susceptibilities to common diseases or response to drug therapies.

Virion-targeted viral inactivation: new therapy against viral infection

BACKGROUND

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is resistant to all current therapy. Gene therapy is an attractive alternative or additive to current, unsatisfactory AIDS therapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

To develop an antiviral molecule targeting viral integrase (HIV IN), we generated a single-chain antibody, termed scAb, which interacted with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) IN and inhibited virus replication at the integration step when expressed intracellularly. To reduce infectivity from within the virus particles, we made expression plasmids (pC-scAbE-Vpr, pC-scAbE-CA, and pC-scAbE-WXXF), which expressed the anti-HIV IN scAb fused to the N-terminus of HIV-1-associated accessory protein R (Vpr), capsid protein (CA), and specific binding motif to Vpr (WXXF), respectively. All fusion proteins were tagged with a nine-amino acid peptide derived from influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) at the C terminus.

RESULTS

The fusion molecules, termed scAbE-Vpr, scAbE-CA, and scAbE-WXXF, interacted specifically with HIV IN immobilized on a nitrocellulose membrane. Immunoblot analysis showed that scAbE-Vpr, scAbE-CA, and scAbE-WXXF were incorporated into the virions produced by cotransfection of 293T cells with HIV-1 infectious clone DNA (pLAI) and pC-scAbE-Vpr, pC-scAbE-WXXF. A multinuclear activation galactosidase indicator (MAGI) assay revealed that the virions released from 293T cells cotransfected with pLAI and pC-scAbE-Vpr, pC-scAbE-WXXF had as little 1000-fold of the infectivity of the control wild-type virions, which were produced from the 293T cells transfected with pLAI alone. Furthermore, the virions produced from the 293T cells cotransfected with pLAI and an scAb expression vector (pC-scAb) showed only 1% of the infectivity of the control HIV-1 in a MAGI assay, although scAb was not incorporated into the virions. In either instance, the total quantity of the progeny virions released from the transfected 293T cells and the patterns of the virion proteins were hardly affected by the presence of scAb, scAbE-Vpr, or scAbE-WXXF, as determined by virion-associated reverse transcriptase assay and by immunoblot analysis, respectively. Because G418-selected HeLa clones carrying the expression plasmid for scAbE-WXXF were obtained much more frequently than those for scAbE-Vpr, scAbE-WXXF was inferred to be less toxic to cells than scAbE-Vpr. The result that scAbE-WXXF with viral incorporation achieved more than a 10-fold reduction in infectivity of the progeny virions than scAb without incorporation suggests that scAbE-WXXF is a potential antiviral molecule, inhibiting replication by neutralization of HIV IN activity both within cells and within virions. Moreover, it is nontoxic to human cells. We termed this gene therapy "virion-"targeted-viral inactivation" and these molecules "packageable antiviral therapeutics."

CONCLUSION

This new gene therapy has the potential for wide application in many viral infectious diseases.

Catalog of 46 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the microsomal glutathione S-transferase 1 (MGST1) gene

A major goal in our laboratory is to understand the role of common genetic variations among individual patients as regards susceptibility to common diseases and differences in therapeutic efficacy and/or side effects of drugs. As an addition to the high-density SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) maps of 12 glutathione S-transferase and related genes reported earlier, we provide here an SNP map of the microsomal glutathione S-transferase 1 (MGST1) gene. Among 48 healthy Japanese volunteers examined. we identified a total of 46 SNPs at this locus, 36 of which had not been reported before: 4 in the promoter region, 34 in introns, 3 in the 3' untranslated region, and 5 in the 3' flanking region. No SNP was found in 5'untranslated or coding regions. The ratio of transition to transversion was approximately 1.2:1. Among the 13 insertion-deletion polymorphisms was a 2-bp deletion in the coding region of MGST1 in DNA from one of the volunteers, which resulted in a frame-shift mutation. Since the gene product encoded by this mutant allele would lack the C-terminal half including the MAPEG (membrane-associated proteins in eicosanoid and glutathione metabolism) domain, MGST1 activity is likely to be reduced in the carrier's cells. The SNP map presented here adds to the archive of tools for studying complex genetic diseases, population migration patterns, and a variety of pharmacogenetic possibilities.

High-density single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) map of the 150-kb region corresponding to the human ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) gene

Highly dense catalogs of human genetic variations, in combination with high-throughput genotyping technologies, are expected to clarify individual genetic differences in pharmacological responsiveness and predispositions to common diseases. Here we report single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) present among 48 Japanese individuals at the locus for the human ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) gene. ABCA1 plays a key role in apolipoprotein-mediated cholesterol transport, and mutations in this gene are responsible for Tangier disease and familial high-density lipoprotein deficiency associated with reduced cholesterol efflux. We identified a total of 162 SNPs, 149 of which were novel, within the 150-kb region encompassing the entire ABCA1 gene. Eight of the SNPs lie within coding elements, two in 5' flanking regions, 147 in introns, and five in 3' untranslated regions, but none were found in 5' untranslated or 3' flanking regions. The ratio of transitions to transversions was approximately 2.37 to 1. Our dense SNP map of this region could serve as a powerful resource for studies of complex genetic diseases that may be associated with ABCA1 and of individual responses to drug therapy.