Pattern of X-Y chromosome pairing in the Taiwan vole, Microtus kikuchii

Pairing of X and Y chromosomes at meiotic prophase and the G- and C-banding patterns and nucleolar organizer region (NOR) distribution were analyzed in Microtus kikuchii. M. kikuchii is closely related to M. oeconomus and M. montebelli, karyologically and systematically. The formation of a synaptonemal complex between the X and Y chromosomes at pachytene and end-to-end association at diakinesis – metaphase I are only observed in three species in the genus Microtus; M. kikuchii, M. oeconomus, and M. montebelli. All the other species that have been studied so far have had asynaptic X–Y chromosomes. These data confirm that M. kikuchii, M. oeconomus, and M. montebelli are very closely related, and support the separation of asynaptic and synaptic groups on the phylogenetic tree.Key words: Microtus kikuchii, Microtus phylogeny, karyotype, synaptic sex chromosomes, synaptonemal complex.

Aclarubicin induces differentiation of leukemic progenitors in myelodysplastic syndrome cooperating with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor

We have reported that low-dose aclarubicin (ACR) therapy is effective in some patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Here, we demonstrate that a low concentration of ACR induces the in vitro differentiation of leukemic progenitor cells from patients with MDS. ACR (0.1 ng/ml) significantly increased the number of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)-dependent colonies from circulating blast cells in vitro in six out of seven MDS patients with refractory anemia with excess of blast in transformation or chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, but not in all four patients with primary acute myelogenous leukemia. In these MDS patients, the effect of ACR gradually disappeared along with the progression of MDS. Interestingly, the majority of G-CSF/ACR-dependent colonies consisted of rather differentiated myeloid cells such as myelocytes and metamyelocytes, whereas colonies formed by G-CSF alone were composed mainly of immature blastic cells. The number of G-CSF-responding progenitors significantly increased during a 24-48 h incubation with ACR alone. The circulating blasts in MDS patients expressed G-CSF receptors at unchanged levels before and after the incubation with ACR. It is suggested that ACR might increase clonogenic progenitor responsiveness to G-CSF in MDS, probably through modulating downstream signaling cascades associated with G-CSF receptors, and induce these progenitors to differentiate in response to G-CSF.

Evaluation of antithymocyte globulin for human bone marrow transplantation. Antihematopoietic and immunosuppressive activity

Antihematopoietic stem cell activity and immunosuppressive activity were evaluated before and after absorption of horse antihuman thymocyte globulin (ATG) with mature granulocytes and fetal liver cells. Unabsorbed ATG was cytotoxic to committed myeloid-macrophage progenitors (CFU-C). Absorption of ATG removed cytotoxicity to CFU-C. The immunosuppressive potentials of absorbed ATGs were identical to those of unabsorbed ATG in several tests. Primary response to trinitrophenyl (TNP)-modified autologous and allogeneic cells could be suppressed by treatment with ATG alone whereas suppression of secondary and cytotoxic responses required treatment with ATG and complement. These data indicate that unsensitized or undifferentiated T cells may be more sensitive to ATG than are sensitized or differentiated T cells.

Pericentric inversion of chromosome 16 and eosinophilia in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia

We report a case of myelodysplastic syndrome with bone marrow eosinophilia and the chromosomal abnormality, inv(16)(p13q22). Hematologic findings including monocytosis and trilineage myelodysplasia were consistent with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, and numerous abnormal eosinophils were present in the bone marrow. Chromosomal analysis of all metaphase cells from peripheral blood and bone marrow revealed in(16)(p13q22), which is well known characteristic of acute myelomonocytic leukemia with eosinophilia (M4Eo). Both monocytes and eosinophils in this case may be derived from common leukemic progenitors affected by inv(16)(p13q22).

Generation of tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes in vivo by combined treatment with inactivated tumor cells and recombinant interleukin-2

In order to search for a new therapy that would maximize the effect of interleukin-2 (IL-2) in evoking antitumor immunity in vivo, the therapeutic effect of a combination of mitomycin-C(MMC)-treated tumor cells and recombinant IL-2 was examined for its induction of antitumor activity against established melanoma metastasis. In C57BL/6 mice intravenously (i.v.) injected with B16 melanoma cells on day 0, the combined treatment with an intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of MMC-treated melanoma cells on day 6 and 2500 U rIL-2 (twice daily) on days 7 and 8 markedly reduced the number of pulmonary metastases. This antitumor activity was more effective than that in untreated controls and mice that were injected with MMC-treated melanoma cells alone or rIL-2 alone. When the i.p. injection of MMC-treated tumor cells was replaced by other syngeneic tumor cells, antitumor activity against metastatic melanoma was not induced. The antitumor activity induced by this treatment increased in parallel with an increase in the dose of rIL-2 injected. In contrast, an i.p. injection of soluble tumor-specific antigens alone could induce only a marginal level of antitumor activity, and this activity was not augmented by subsequent i.p. injections of rIL-2. In vivo treatment with anti-CD8 monoclonal antibody (mAb), but not with anti-CD4 mAb or anti-asialo-GM1 antibody, abrogated the antitumor activity induced by this combined therapy. This suggests that the antitumor effect was dependent on CD8+ T cells. Lung-infiltrating lymphocytes from mice that had been i.v. injected with melanoma cells 11 days before and were treated with this combined therapy, showed melanoma-specific cytolytic activity. This combined therapy also showed significant antitumor activity against subcutaneously inoculated melanoma cells. These results demonstrate that the combined therapy of an i.p. injection of MMC-treated tumor cells and subsequent and consecutive i.p. administration of rIL-2 increases antitumor activity against established metastatic melanoma by generating tumor-specific CD8+ CTL in vivo.

Treadmill stress test using body surface mapping in coronary artery disease--the clinical significance of ST depression

In this study we assessed in 27 patients with coronary artery disease whether the size of the ST-depression area, which was measured by body surface maps recorded before and after treadmill exercise, could be a useful indicator for evaluating coronary artery disease (CAD) quantitatively. The patients were divided into 3 groups on the basis of the findings of the left ventriculograms: patients with anterior asynergy (n = 6), those with inferior asynergy (n = 6) and those with no asynergy (n = 15). Coronary arteriograms were evaluated according to Pujadas, and epsilon Grade, as an index of the severity of CAD, was developed by adding the grade numbers of the 4 main coronary stems (right coronary artery, main trunk of the left coronary artery, left anterior descending artery and left circumflex artery). Patients with inferior asynergy and with no asynergy have ST-depression areas in proportion to their epsilon Grade (r = 0.845, p less than 0.001), whereas none of the patients with anterior asynergy showed ST-depression areas regardless of their epsilon Grade. Of 6 patients who had anterior asynergy, 5 (83%) had pathologic Q waves in the left anterior chest leads. These findings emphasize the clinical value of the ST-depression are for the quantitative and non-invasive diagnosis of CAD, especially in patients without pathologic Q waves in the left anterior chest leads.

Effects of hepatic impairment on the metabolism of fructose and 5-fluorouracil, as studied in fatty liver models using in vivo 31P-MRS and 19F-MRS

The purpose of this study was to observe the effects of hepatic impairment on the metabolism of fructose and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in fatty liver models using in vivo 31P-MRS and 19F-MRS and to compare the results. In addition, we compared the results to those of other conventional tests such as laboratory examinations, imaging and pathology. Male SIc:Wistar rats were examined on BEM170/200 (4.7 T, Otsuka Electronics, USA) with 17-mm diameter surface coil. Fatty liver was induced by a choline deficient diet (CD diet) for 2 weeks. 31P-MRS were obtained for 90 min after intravenous (i.v.) injection of 1 g/kg of fructose and 19F-MRS were measured for 100 min after i.v. injection of 100 mg/kg of 5-FU. 1H-MRS and 1H-MRI were also performed. On 31P-MRS, there was no statistical difference in the time course of phosphomonoester (PME), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and inorganic phosphate (Pi) between CD diet group and control group. On 19F-MRS, we detected high peak of fluoronucleotide (Fnct) and suppressed peak of alpha-fluoro-beta-alanine (FBAL) in CD diet group. We showed the metabolism of fructose and 5-FU by 31P-MRS and 19F-MRS, respectively. There was no difference in fructose metabolism but we observed increased fluoronucleotide and decreased a-fluoro-b-alanine in 5-FU metabolism of fatty liver. We speculate that the effects of hepatic impairment in fatty liver may be more severe on 5-FU metabolism and the increased fluoronucleotide may reflect cell proliferation.

Relationship between exercise capacity and ventilatory equivalent for carbon dioxide in patients with stable old myocardial infarction

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between exercise capacity and ventilatory response in patients with stable old myocardial infarction. We performed cardiopulmonary exercise test in 61 patients with stable old myocardial infarction and in 30 healthy men. Each subject exercised on a bicycle ergometer until exhaustion. Patients who had anginal pain or electrocardiographic ischemic changes during exercise were excluded. The patients were classified into three groups according to peakVO2 achieved during exercise, using Weber's method: group A, peakVO2 > or = 21 ml/min/kg (n = 4); group B, 14 < or = peakVO2 < 21 ml/min/kg (n = 45); and group C, peakVO2 < 14 ml/min/kg (n = 12). With progressive increases in VCO2, VE increased linearly below the anaerobic threshold (AT) level. The slope of the linear regression line between VCO2 and VE (SLOPE) was calculated in each subject. The mean SLOPE of the healthy men (group N) and groups A, B and C were 25.8 +/- 0.5, 25.1 +/- 0.5, 28.9 +/- 0.8 and 37.1 +/- 1.7 (x 10(-3), respectively. Thus, the SLOPE was steeper in patients with lower peakVO2. It is difficult to perform a maximal exercise tolerance test on patients with chronic heart failure to evaluate their exercise capacity. We can assess exercise capacity by the slope of the linear regression line between VCO2 and VE (SLOPE) at the lower exercise level.

Kaposi's sarcoma associated with lung cancer and immunosuppression

We report a 65-year-old Japanese woman with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). The eruption first occurred on the legs while she was admitted for treatment of poorly differentiated lung cancer. Approximately eight months after the evolution, cutaneous tumors rapidly spread to the forearms, trunk, and pharynx. At that time, the patient had received systemic corticosteroid (10-40 mg/day of prednisolone) for about three months to reduce pulmonary inflammation. The laboratory data showed anemia, lymphopenia, hypogammaglobulinemia, and a decreased T cell count, although the serological test for HIV infection was negative. The patient was treated with radiation (X-ray for KS of pharynx and electron beam for KS of lower legs) and local intralesional injection of vinblastine. Although both therapies were very effective and well tolerated, she died of bacterial pneumonia and sepsis. Autopsy revealed KS tumors, unknown before death, in both lungs, the esophagus, and the stomach. The left lung cancer had disseminated and metastasized to the right lung, pleura, mediastinum, and abdominal cavity. It is suspected that chronic respiratory distress and systemic use of corticosteroids might have induced the rapid extension of KS.

Prevalence of antibodies to Borrelia spirochetes among wild small rodents in central and western Japan

Field rodents serve as a reservoir for Lyme disease spirochetes. To evaluate the antibody responses of rodents against different Borrelia species in relation to fauna of vector ticks feeding on them, we examined 272 sera of wild rodents, Apodemus speciosus, A. argenteus, and Eothenomys smithii, obtained in 27 locations in central and western Japan from 1981 to 1994. As to prevalences by rodent species using immunoperoxidase test, A. speciosus, A. argenteus and E. smithii showed 29.4%, 11.6% and 30.8% reactivity to Borrelia japonica, 10.7%, 7.2% and 3.8% to B. afzelii, 0.6%, 1.4% and 0% to B. garinii, and 14.7%, 7.2% and 11.5% to an unknown Borrelia species designated as It type, respectively. Each antibody to B. japonica, B. afzelii and B. sp. It type was detected widely both in central and western Japan, but the antibody to B. garinii was scarcely detectable in any area and rodent species examined. Apodemus mice in high mountain altitudes tend to have antibody to B. afzelii or B. japonica, and those in lower altitudes tend to have B. japonica or B. sp. It type. All 13 Apodemus mice from which B. japonica or B. sp. It type were isolated showed higher titers of antibodies to each homologous Borrelia species. The present results indicate that these antibody prevalences among rodents may be associated with dominant Ixodes ovatus and sporadic I. persulcatus on the mainland of Japan, and that Apodemus mice may not be an efficient reservoir for B. garinii. Such a serosurvey is a useful measure to evaluate the natural distribution of the pathogen.

Evidence of sex difference in DNA synthesis in hepatocellular carcinoma

To clarify sex differences in DNA synthesis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), bromodeoxyuridine labeling indices (BrdU LI) of HCC cells included in tumor biopsy specimens from 12 consecutive male patients and from 5 consecutive female patients all with liver cirrhosis and HCC were examined using an in vitro labeling technique. The mean BrdU LI +/- SE of HCC from male patients (7.7 +/- 0.8%) was significantly (P less than 0.05) higher than that from female patients (4.4 +/- 1.0%). While 7 of the 12 male HCC patients belonged to the high DNA synthesis group (BrdU LI greater than or equal to 7.0%), none of the 5 female HCC patients showed high DNA synthesis (P less than 0.05). We conclude that DNA synthesis in HCC was higher in males than in females.

Cell-mediated immunity in idiopathic membranous nephropathy

Cell-mediated immunity (CMI) was evaluated in 11 patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (MN), 50 patients suffering from chronic proliferative glomerulonephritis (CGN) without renal insufficiency and 24 healthy controls. The following parameters were measured: delayed skin reactivity to purified protein derivative (PPD), circulating lymphocytes, lymphocyte cell-surface markers (En and EAC rosettes) and functional markers (mitogenic responses to Con A and PHA). The MN patients with nephrotic syndrome (NS) had less mean induration of skin reactivity and a smaller proportion reacting to the PPD antigen as compared with the control subjects. In contrast, the intensity of skin reactivity and the frequency of negative reactions in MN patients in remission and CGN were similar to those of the control subjects. During the nephrotic stage of MN the proportion of T lymphocytes decreased with simultaneous increase of the proportion of B lymphocytes. It was also found that the MN patients with NS showed impaired lymphocyte reactivity with lower Con A and PHA responses compared to the normal controls. Conversely, the mean mitogenic responses to the antigens in patients with MN in remission and CGN were similar to those of the control subjects. Thus, the majority of MN patients with NS demonstrated an impaired response in a CMI assay system. The possible significance of these phenomena in the pathophysiology of MN is discussed.

Vector manifestation of chiral symmetry

We propose "vector manifestation" (VM) of the Wigner realization of chiral symmetry in which the symmetry is restored at the critical point by the massless degenerate pion (and its flavor partners) and the rho meson (and its flavor partners) as the chiral partner, in sharp contrast to the traditional manifestation á la the linear sigma model where the symmetry is restored by the degenerate pion and the scalar meson. The application to the chiral phase transition of large N(f) QCD is performed using the hidden local symmetry Lagrangian. Combined with the Wilsonian matching proposed recently, VM determines the critical number of massless flavors N(f) approximately equal to 5 without much ambiguity.

Redox status impairment in liver and kidney of prematurely senescent mice: effectiveness of DTS phytotherapeutic compound

T-maze test-selected prematurely senescent mice (PSM) were allocated into two groups: (A) those given DTS (150 mg/kg) orally for 30 days and (B) untreated PSM with age-matched fast T-maze performers as control. After sacrifice, the liver and kidney were analyzed for catalase (CAT) activity, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondyaldehyde (MDA), and plasma thiols. Untreated PSM showed decreased plasma thiols and tissue level of CAT, SOD, GPx, with higher MDA (P < 0.01 vs. fast performers), while DTS (Denshichi-Tochiu-Sen) significantly improved glutathione and cysteine (P < 0.05) and tissue concentration of the above parameters (P < 0.05). Such preliminary data suggest that DTS mitigated oxidative damage in PSM, with likely action on the cytoplasm and mitochondrial matrix.

Hyperthermic irrigation of urinary bladder tumor in rabbits

Hyperthermic treatment for bladder tumor in the rabbit was investigated by the irrigation with hot saline through cystostomy after the transplantation of V2 carcinoma cells. When the bladder was irrigated with 42-44 degrees C saline, the inhibitory effect on transplanted tumor growth in the urinary bladder was significant in comparison with control groups. Antitumor effect on the survival and changes in body weight were also significant. Histological study showed the tumor cells were more susceptible to heat than normal mucosal layer. The results suggest that the hyperthermic irrigation of the urinary bladder was effective in preventing the tumor growth with minimum damage on the normal bladder mucosa. Moreover, this malignant bladder tumor of rabbit seems especially suitable for the purpose of studying the new method for transurethral hyperthermic treatment of the urinary bladder cancer.

Effects of short-term pulmonary rehabilitation on exercise capacity and quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Although the rehabilitation of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) improves both exercise capacity and quality of life, a standard protocol for COPD patients has not been established. To clarify whether physiologic and quality-of-life improvements can be achieved by an inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation program 5 days per week for 3 weeks, 18 patients with COPD were enrolled in a rehabilitation program. The physical exercise training regimen consisted of respiratory muscle stretch gymnastics and cycle ergometer exercise training. Pulmonary function tests, an incremental ergometer exercise test, a 6-min walking test, and a quality of life assessment by the Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire were administered before and after the program. The peak VO2, an indicator of maximal exercise capacity, did not increase, although the 6-min walking distance, an indicator of functional exercise capacity, increased significantly after rehabilitation. There was a significant improvement in the quality of life in terms of dyspnea, fatigue, and emotional state. These findings suggest that even a 3-week program may be beneficial for COPD patients. Increases in functional exercise capacity, even without an increase in maximal exercise capacity, are helpful for reducing dyspnea and improving quality of life parameters in patients with COPD.

Th1 type CD4+ T cells may be a potent effector against poorly immunogenic syngeneic tumors

We examined the possibility that Th1 type CD4+ T cells may be an effector against three kinds of syngeneic tumors such as highly immunogenic B16 melanoma (B16) and two poorly immunogenic lines of MCA fibrosarcoma (MCA) and 3LL carcinoma (3LL). In a proliferation assay, the Th1 type CD4+ T cell clone (MH2) recognized the purified protein derivatives (PPD) derived from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In a tumor-neutralizing assay, MH2 showed anti-tumor activity against both B16 and MCA. In a model of pulmonary metastasis, MH2 also showed anti-tumor activity against both B16 and 3LL. In an assay of cytolysis, MH2 showed a moderate level of tumor necrosis factor-dependent cytolytic activity only against MCA. In a cytostasis assay, MH2 showed a high level of interferon gamma-dependent cytostatic activity against the three tumors in the presence of macrophages. The anti-tumor activity of MH2 against B16 and 3LL was suggested to be, at least in part, attributable to the augmented natural killer activity. Taken together, these findings suggest that we may potentially be able to utilize Th1 type CD4+ T cells as an effector for immunotherapy against poorly immunogenic tumors.