Induction of the transcription factor AP-1 in cultured human colon adenocarcinoma cells following exposure to bile acids

We studied the effects of bile acids on inducibility of the transcription factor AP-1 in human colon carcinoma LoVo cells. Firstly, cells were treated with chenodeoxycholic acid and the nuclear extracts from those cells were processed by electrophoretic mobility shift assays to analyze nuclear AP-1 DNA-binding activity. We demonstrated that chenodeoxycholic acid induced AP-1 DNA-binding activity in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. Antibody supershift experiments clearly revealed that the majority of protein components in induced AP-1 DNA-binding activity were the products of oncogenes c-fos and c-jun. On the other hand, DNA-binding activity in the nuclear extracts for either NF kappa B, Sp1, or ATF/CREB was not affected by bile acids, suggesting that the effect of bile acids was rather specific for AP-1. Transient transfection experiments supported this notion: expression of the AP-1-luciferase reporter construct was induced by bile acids in a dose-dependent manner, and expression of either reporter construct for NF kappa B, Sp1, or ATF/CREB was not influenced by treatment of the cells with bile acids. We also demonstrated that those bile acids efficiently activated AP-1-dependent promoter in DLD-1 cells, which (as well as LoVo cells), are derived from colon adenocarcinoma, but not in COLO320DM cells which are from colon carcinoid tumor. Thus, we may indicate that bile acids exclusively induce nuclear AP-1 activity in colon adenocarcinoma cells.

Ligand-independent activation of the glucocorticoid receptor by ursodeoxycholic acid. Repression of IFN-gamma-induced MHC class II gene expression via a glucocorticoid receptor-dependent pathway

The therapeutic effectiveness of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) for various autoimmune liver diseases strongly indicates that UDCA possesses immunomodulatory activities. Experimental evidence also supports this notion, since, for example, UDCA has been shown to suppress secretion of IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-gamma from activated T lymphocytes, and Ig production from B lymphocytes. To investigate the mechanical background of UDCA-mediated immunomodulation, we asked whether UDCA interacts with the intracellular signal transduction pathway, especially whether it is involved in immunosuppressive glucocorticoid hormone action. For this purpose, we used a cloned Chinese hamster ovary cell line, CHOpMTGR, in which glucocorticoid receptor cDNA was stably integrated. In immunocytochemical analysis, we found that treatment with UDCA promoted the nuclear translocation of the glucocorticoid receptor in a ligand-independent fashion, which was further confirmed by immunoprecipitation assays. Moreover, the translocated glucocorticoid receptor demonstrated sequence-specific DNA binding activity. Transient transfection experiments revealed that treatment of the cells with UDCA marginally enhanced glucocorticoid-responsive gene expression. We also showed that UDCA suppressed IFN-gamma-mediated induction of MHC class II gene expression via the glucocorticoid receptor-mediated pathway. Together, UDCA-dependent promotion of translocation of the glucocorticoid receptor may be associated with, at least in part, its immunomodulatory action through glucocorticoid receptor-mediated gene regulation.

Ligand-independent activation of the glucocorticoid receptor by ursodeoxycholic acid. Repression of IFN-gamma-induced MHC class II gene expression via a glucocorticoid receptor-dependent pathway

The therapeutic effectiveness of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) for various autoimmune liver diseases strongly indicates that UDCA possesses immunomodulatory activities. Experimental evidence also supports this notion, since, for example, UDCA has been shown to suppress secretion of IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-gamma from activated T lymphocytes, and Ig production from B lymphocytes. To investigate the mechanical background of UDCA-mediated immunomodulation, we asked whether UDCA interacts with the intracellular signal transduction pathway, especially whether it is involved in immunosuppressive glucocorticoid hormone action. For this purpose, we used a cloned Chinese hamster ovary cell line, CHOpMTGR, in which glucocorticoid receptor cDNA was stably integrated. In immunocytochemical analysis, we found that treatment with UDCA promoted the nuclear translocation of the glucocorticoid receptor in a ligand-independent fashion, which was further confirmed by immunoprecipitation assays. Moreover, the translocated glucocorticoid receptor demonstrated sequence-specific DNA binding activity. Transient transfection experiments revealed that treatment of the cells with UDCA marginally enhanced glucocorticoid-responsive gene expression. We also showed that UDCA suppressed IFN-gamma-mediated induction of MHC class II gene expression via the glucocorticoid receptor-mediated pathway. Together, UDCA-dependent promotion of translocation of the glucocorticoid receptor may be associated with, at least in part, its immunomodulatory action through glucocorticoid receptor-mediated gene regulation.

Overexpression of human mutT homologue gene messenger RNA in renal-cell carcinoma: evidence of persistent oxidative stress in cancer

Data regarding oxidatively modified DNA bases suggest that cancer cells are more exposed to oxidative stress than adjacent non-tumorous tissue. This novel concept may contribute to the understanding of certain aspects of tumor biology such as activated transcription factors, genetic instability, chemotherapy-resistance and metastasis. We therefore tested this concept in human renal-cell carcinomas (RCCs) by evaluating the expression of hMTH1, an enzyme preventing the misincorporation into DNA of 8-oxo-dGTP (8-oxo-7,8-dihydrodeoxyguanosine triphosphate), an oxidized form of dGTP in the nucleotide pool. The expression of hMTH1 messenger RNA (mRNA) in RCC was significantly higher than that in adjacent non-tumorous kidney. Moreover, advanced-stage tumors showed significantly higher hMTH1 mRNA expression than early-stage tumors, and there was a modest linear correlation between hMTH1 expression and c-myc expression. The results provide logical support for the concept of "persistent oxidative stress in cancer" and suggest a role of hMTH1 mRNA level as a prognostic marker.

Applicability of monoclonal antibody Fab fragments as a carrier of neocarzinostatin in targeting chemotherapy

Two types of fragments of MAb A7 were produced to improve the efficacy and safety in targeting chemotherapy with neocarzinostatin. In this study, 125I-labeled F(ab')2 and Fab fragments of MAb A7 and 125I-labeled MAb A7 were injected intravenously into mice with pancreatic carcinoma xenografts, and the accumulation of each antibody in the tumors was compared. A greater amount of the 125I-labeled Fab fragments of MAb A7 localized in the tumor 2 h following the injection than was observed with the other probes. Relatively less 125I-labeled MAb A7 localized in the tumor 2 h following the injection than was observed with the other two probes. Moreover, reaction of rabbit antimouse IgC with the Fc portion, which is the most immunopotent region of the Fab and F(ab')2 fragments of MAb A7 and MAb A7, was determined by ELISA; the weakest reaction was observed with the Fab fragments of MAb A7. These results suggest that the Fab fragments of MAb A7 may be more suitable carriers of an anticancer drug that is inactivated rapidly in the blood, such as NCS, in targeting chemotherapy than either intact MAb A7 or the F(ab')2 fragments of MAb A7.

Effects of ursodeoxycholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid on major histocompatibility complex class I gene expression

We investigated the effect of ursodeoxycholic acid on major histocompatibility complex class I gene expression in cultured human hepatoma cells. Ursodeoxycholic acid, which is now being used for the treatment of various autoimmune liver diseases, paradoxically increased the mRNA level of major histocompatibility complex class I. However, endogenous bile acids, for example, chenodeoxycholic acid, increased major histocompatibility complex class I mRNA expression more strongly compared with ursodeoxycholic acid. Concerning the interplay between ursodeoxycholic and chenodeoxycholic acids, these bile acids additively induced major histocompatibility complex class I mRNA expression. In contrast, when the total concentration of ursodeoxycholic and chenodeoxycholic acids was kept constant, the expression of major histocompatibility complex class I mRNA appeared to decrease in a dose-dependent manner with an increasing ratio of ursodeoxycholic acid. These findings indicate that the beneficial action of ursodeoxycholic acid may be related to this relative decrease in major histocompatibility complex class I gene expression.

[Endobronchial treatments made possible by extracorporeal lung assist in a patient in status asthmaticus refractory to mechanical ventilation]

A 19-year-old endotracheally intubated women was admitted to our hospital in severe status asthmaticus that was not relieved by inhalation of beta 2-agonists or by epinephrine, aminophylline, or corticosteroids. A chest radiography revealed pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema. Pressure-limited mechanical ventilation at a peak airway pressure of 20--30 cmH2O failed to ventilate the lungs, and caused a left pneumothorax and atelectasis. Extracorporeal lung assist (ECLA) was begun and enabled repeated suctioning through a fiberoptic bronchoscope for more than a minute with no serious complications. During ECLA aerosol therapy with a large dose of a beta 2-agonist (procatherol 0.15 mg) increased the tidal volume with no adverse effects. Atelectatic areas of the lungs re-expanded, pulmonary function improved, and ECLA was stopped 86 hours after it had been started. We suggest that, although it is highly invasive, ECLA can be useful in patients with status asthmaticus refractory to mechanical ventilation, and can allow endobronchial suctioning to be done safely.

The majority of T lymphocytes are polyclonal during the chronic phase of chronic myelogenous leukemia

To clarify the extent of cell lineage involvement in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), we investigated the bcr gene rearrangement and clonality using the X-chromosome-linked restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) methylation method in T lymphocytes and granulocytes. We examined the granulocyte and T-cell fractions from the peripheral blood of seven female patients with CML during the chronic phase; patients were heterozygous for RFLPs at the phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) or the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) gene. RFLP-methylation analysis of granulocytes demonstrated a monoclonal pattern in six of the seven patients and a rearranged bcr gene in all seven patients. In contrast, T lymphocytes exhibited a polyclonal pattern in six cases; in one case, a faint band was observed following methyl-sensitive enzyme cleavage. The bcr gene analysis in T lymphocytes showed the germline in every case. Our results indicate that the majority of T lymphocytes are polyclonal during the chronic phase of CML and confirm previous reports based on glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, cytogenetic, and bcr rearrangement analyses.

Protein phylogeny of translation elongation factor EF-1 alpha suggests microsporidians are extremely ancient eukaryotes

Partial regions of the mRNA encoding a major part of translation elongation factor 1 alpha (EF-1 alpha) from a mitochondrion-lacking protozoan, Glugea plecoglossi, that belongs to microsporidians, were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and their primary structures were analyzed. The deduced amino acid sequence was highly divergent from typical EF-1 alpha's of eukaryotes, although it clearly showed a eukaryotic feature when aligned with homologs of the three primary kingdoms. Maximum likelihood (ML) analyses on the basis of six different stochastic models of amino acid substitutions and a maximum parsimony (MP) analysis consistently suggest that among eukaryotic species being analyzed, G. plecoglossi is likely to represent the earliest offshoot of eukaryotes. Microsporidians might be the extremely ancient eukaryotes which have diverged before an occurrence of mitochondrial symbiosis.

Influence of deoxyspergualin on mononuclear phagocytic system in mice

The influence of deoxyspergualin (DSG) on mononuclear phagocytic system was examined in BALB/c mice. DSG did not influence on both the organ distribution of sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and blood clearance of colloidal carbon when the agent was administered intraperitoneally into mice at doses of 5.0 and 10.0 mg/kg for six consecutive days before antigen. Hemagglutination titers in experimental and control mice did not differ significantly when 10.0 mg/kg of DSG was given six times before SRBC injection. However, when administered during the course of the response (days 0 to 5) DSG (5.0 mg/kg/day) markedly suppressed antibody formation.

Human cathepsin O2, a matrix protein-degrading cysteine protease expressed in osteoclasts. Functional expression of human cathepsin O2 in Spodoptera frugiperda and characterization of the enzyme

Cathepsin O2, a human cysteine protease predominantly present in osteoclasts, has been functionally expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda Sf9 cells using the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus. Following in vitro activation at pH 4.0 with pepsin, active enzyme with an apparent molecular weight of 29,000 was obtained. N-terminal sequencing revealed the typical processing site for cysteine proteases of the papain family with a proline in the position adjacent to the N-terminal alanine residue. The S2P2 subsite specificity of human cathepsin O2 is similar to cathepsin S but distinguished from cathepsins L and B. Similar to cathepsin S, cathepsin O2 is characterized by a bellshaped pH activity profile and is stable at pH 6.5 for 30 min at 37 degrees C. Cathepsin O2 is further distinguished by its potent collagenolytic activity against Type I collagen between pH 5 and 6, and elastinolytic activity against insoluble elastin at pH 7.9. Its capacity to efficiently degrade Type I collagen and its high expression in osteoclasts suggest that cathepsin O2 may play a major role in human osteoclastic bone resorption.

Chemopreventive effects of taurine on diethylnitrosamine and phenobarbital-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in male F344 rats

Modifying effects of taurine, a naturally occurring organosulfur compound, on diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and phenobarbital (PB)-induced hepatocarcinogenesis were examined in rats. Male F344 rats, 5 weeks old, were divided into 8 groups. Rats of groups 1 through 5 were given i.p. injections of DEN (100 mg/kg body weight) once a week for 3 weeks from one week after the start of the experiment. Of them, animals of group 2 received taurine mixed in a basal diet at a concentration of 2000 ppm for the initial 4 weeks, and those of groups 3 and 5 were given the agent starting 4 weeks after the beginning of the experiment until the end (24 weeks). Rats in groups 1, 4, 7 and 8 were kept on the basal diet throughout the experiment (24 weeks). Group 6 was given taurine throughout the experiment and group 8 was treated as a vehicle control. Animals of groups 1,2, 3 and 7 received PB in drinking water at a dose of 500 ppm from one week after the end of carcinogen or vehicle treatment. Liver neoplasms were recognized only in DEN-treated groups. The incidence and average number of liver neoplasms of group 3 were significantly lower than those of group 1. The number of glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P)-positive foci of group 2 or 3 was significantly smaller than that of group 1 (P < 0.01 or P < 0.005). The average and unit areas of GST-P-positive foci in groups 2 and 3 were also significantly smaller than those in group 1 (P < 0.005 and P < 0.0001 and P < 0.0001, respectively). In this study, the level of ornithine decarboxylase activity in non-neoplastic liver tissue was reduced by taurine treatment in both the initiation and postinitiation phases. These results suggest that taurine could be a chemopreventive agent for liver neoplasia.

Detection of c-myc oncogene amplification in a CML blastic phase patient with double minute chromosomes

Double minute chromosomes (dmin) are relatively rare in leukemias. Cytogenetic analysis of blood cells from a woman with blastic phase chronic myelogenous leukemia (BC-CML) showed numerous dmin chromosomes and complex abnormalities including a Philadelphia (ph(1))-chromosome. Oncogene amplification in hematopoietic malignancies is also rare. Using PCR, we retrospectively investigated the extent of c-myc gene amplification in DNA extracted from stored blood smears from the patient. To qualify the PCR products, the beta-globin gene was used as the internal reference gene and it was co-amplified with the c-myc gene. The extent of amplified c-myc was about 6.8-fold. This finding suggests that the c-myc gene was amplified in dmin and that the gene amplification contributes to the progression to acute leukemia or rapid growth of leukemic cells.

[Problems related to trace element determination in biological materials]

Analytical problems related to the determination of ultratrace elements such as Cr, Cd, Co, Ni, V in biological materials are described. Prevention of contamination from analytical devices, reagents and the environment is a crucial factor to achieve ultratrace analysis; a stainless steel needle cannot be used for the Cr determination in human serum. Careful examination of the impurity in the labowares and reagents is definitely required prior to analysis. In graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry, appropriate background correction is most important to obtain accurate analytical data for biological materials. Appropriate selection of matrix modifier(s) can reduce background signals to a negligible level. In ICP mass spectrometry mass overlapping by polyatomic ions is a most serious problem for the determination of most essential trace elements. Biological certified reference materials (CRMs) are of great value to assess accuracy of analytical results. However, the availability of human serum reference materials representative of normal values has been limited. Development of such biological reference materials (human serum, urine) is urgently required for analytical quality assurance.

High-resolution CT findings in the development of the sphenooccipital synchondrosis

PURPOSE

To evaluate the development of the sphenooccipital sychondrosis as seen on high-resolution thin-section CT scans.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the records of 253 patients, ages 1 to 77 years old, who had had thin-section CT examination of the skull base.

RESULTS

An ossification center appeared midline in the patients who were 8 to 13 years old. Six of 12 girls showed additional symmetric ossification centers on either side of the midline; however, this pattern was not seen in boys. No sphenooccipital synchondrosis persisted in any patient past the age of 13 years.

CONCLUSION

High-resolution CT scans of the skull base can show a pattern of progressive ossification of the sphenooccipital synchondrosis, which can be readily recognized and predicted.

Satisfactory remission achieved by PUVA therapy in Langerhans cell hisiocytosis in an elderly patient

Langerhans cell histiocytosis is currently regarded as a reactive proliferative process of Langerhans cells rather than a malignancy. The disease is characterized by Langerhans cell infiltration of skin, lung, bone and other organs. We report a 74-year-old man with Langerhans cell histiocytosis who had generalized hemorrhagic and crusted papules. He also had diabetes insipidus. Because he did not have any severe constitutional symptoms or failure of vital organs, we applied topical PUVA treatment to his skin lesions, which responded well to the therapy. Diabetes insipidus, however, remained, in spite of X ray radiotherapy for the pituitary lesion.

Cytokine concentrations in sputum of asthmatic patients

To examine whether levels of inflammatory cytokines and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) in the sputum reflect the severity of bronchial asthma, we measured their levels in the sputum of symptomatic and asymptomatic asthmatics. Interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, RANTES, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and ECP concentrations in the sputum of symptomatic patients were significantly higher than in asymptomatic subjects. These findings suggest that these inflammatory cytokines are involved in the exacerbation of asthma.

Temperature mapping using water proton chemical shift obtained with 3D-MRSI: feasibility in vivo

This article discusses the applicability to a living animal of the temperature mapping method using the water proton chemical shift obtained with three-dimensional magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (3D-MRSI). There are several sources of error in obtaining the spectra with 3D-MRSI: signal noise, limitation in the frequency resolution due to the finite signal length, intravoxel inhomogeneity in the static magnetic field, and variation in the magnetic field due to the eddy current magnetic field. A spectral estimation method called phase deduction complex Lorentzian fitting (PD-CLF) was proposed. Numerical simulations demonstrated that this method reduces the error in the chemical shift to one third of that obtained with the simple frequency subtraction method that uses zero-padded first Fourier transformation (FFT). The temperature images obtained using 3D-MRSI with PD-CLF clearly visualized the changes and distribution of temperature in an anesthetized rat.