[Coronary artery fistula with left atrial myxoma: report of a case]

A 64-year-old male was referred for surgical treatment of left atrial myxoma. Preoperative coronary angiography revealed coronary artery fistula from the left anterior descending artery and the circumflex artery draining into the main pulmonary artery. Operative treatment was performed including resection of the myxoma, patch closure of the atrial septal defect, and closure of the fistula with pledgeted mattress sutures from within the main pulmonary artery on cardiopulmonary bypass. His postoperative course was uneventful, and disappearance of the left atrial myxoma and the coronary artery fistula was ascertained by echocardiography and coronary angiography.

[Waldenström's macroglobulinemia effectively treated with chronic daily oral administration of low-dose etoposide]

A 77-year-old woman with complaints of fever and systemic lymphadenopathy was admitted to our hospital on February 16, 1995. Serum IgM was elevated to 2,097 mg/dl. Lymph node biopsy showed diffuse infiltration with lymphoplasmacytoid cells. Thus, she was diagnosed as having Waldenström's macroglobulinemia. Considering her age and congestive heart failure, she was treated with oral administration of low-dose etoposide (25 mg/day). Splenomegaly and superficial lymphadenopathy disappeared after one course of therapy. Until her death due to pneumonia, complete remission continued for one year without any symptoms and adverse effects except for mild diarrhea. Low-dose etoposide therapy was considered to be well tolerated and useful for elderly patients with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia.

Jasplakinolide: interaction with radiation and hyperthermia in human prostate carcinoma and Lewis lung carcinoma

PURPOSE

Jasplakinolide is a novel natural product anticancer agent which acts by inducing overpolymerization of actin. The aim of the current study was to explore the activity of jasplakinolide with hyperthermia and radiation.

METHODS

The response of human PC-3 and DU-145 prostate carcinoma cells and DU-145 xenografts and the response of the Lewis lung carcinoma to jasplakinolide were studied.

RESULTS

Jasplakinolide was cytotoxic toward human prostate carcinoma cells, DU-145, PC-3 and LNCaP in culture, killing 1 log of cells with 0.8, 0.3 and 0.07 microM of drug in 24 h, respectively. The combination of jasplakinolide and hyperthermia resulted in primarily additive cell killing by the two modalities in the three prostate carcinoma lines. In combination with radiation, jasplakinolide produced some diminution in the shoulder of the survival curve of normally oxygenated PC-3 cells and was a radiation sensitizer of hypoxic DU-145 cells and hypoxic PC-3 cells. In vivo, jasplakinolide was an active antitumor agent against the Lewis lung carcinoma and the DU-145 prostate carcinoma xenograft. Jasplakinolide was a radiation sensitizer in the Lewis lung carcinoma. Jasplakinolide was also effective against the systemic Lewis lung carcinoma, decreasing lung metastases. Lung metastases were further decreased when jasplakinolide was administered along with radiation to the subcutaneous primary tumor. In the DU-145 tumor, the effects of jasplakinolide and fractionated radiation for 1 or 2 weeks appeared to be primarily additive.

CONCLUSION

Jasplakinolide is an interesting new anticancer agent for which further study both as an anticancer agent and in combined modality regimens is warranted.

Hypoglycemic effect of water-soluble polysaccharide from Auricularia auricula-judae Quel. on genetically diabetic KK-Ay mice

The hypoglycemic effect of water-soluble polysaccharide(FA) from fruiting bodies of Auricularia auricula-judae Quel. was investigated on genetically diabetic mice (KK-Ay) from 10 to 14 weeks of age. Male mice were divided into 3 groups, the control group and FA-fed group having free access to the control diet or FA diet (30 g of FA/kg of diet). The food-restricted group had restricted access to the control diet at the level of the diet consumed by the FA-fed group. Compared with the control group, FA supplementation had a significant effect in lowering plasma glucose, insulin, urinary glucose, and food intake. FA administration also increased the tolerance to intraperitoneal glucose loading and the hepatic glycogen content. In the food-restricted group, the reduced food intake slightly lowered the plasma and urinary glucose levels, but did not improve hyperinsulinemia and glucose tolerance. This study shows that FA had a hypoglycemic effect on KK-Ay mice, and the reduced food consumption was not a major factor which contributed to the hypoglycemic action of FA.

Urease plays an important role in the chemotactic motility of Helicobacter pylori in a viscous environment

Helicobacter pylori exhibits chemotactic responses to urea, flurofamide, acetohydroxamic acid, and sodium bicarbonate. In buffer, the chemotactic activities of a urease-positive strain were higher than those of the isogenic urease-negative strain. Moreover, the chemotactic activities of the urease-positive strain were increased in a viscous solution containing 3% polyvinylpyrrolidone, whereas those of the urease-negative mutant were not. These results are in accordance with the fact that the mutant strain did not show swarming in motility agar regardless of having flagella. Incubation of the wild-type strain with flurofamide resulted in partial inhibition of the chemotactic activities in the viscous solution. In addition, incubation with acetohydroxamic acid, a low-molecular-weight, diffusible urease inhibitor, resulted in complete loss of chemotactic activity in the viscous solution. The inhibition of the chemotactic activity by urease inhibitors paralleled the inhibition of urease. The chemotactic activity of H. pylori was also inhibited by the proton carrier carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, showing that H. pylori utilizes proton motive force for motility. These results indicate that cytoplasmic urease plays an important role in the chemotactic motility of H. pylori under a condition that mimics the ecological niche of the bacterium, the gastric mucous layer.

Real-time evaluation of the effectiveness of microwave coagulation therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma using color Doppler imaging

Percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy (PMCT) is a new technique for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, it is difficult to distinguish those lesions in which necrosis has been induced from the viable residual lesions during the procedure, because the margin of the tumor becomes unclear during PMCT. We determined the area of necrotic lesions during the procedure using color Doppler imaging. PMCT was performed on 10 patients (17 lesions) with recurrent HCC. The electrode of the microwave delivery system was moved around the tumor and the surrounding area until color mosaic images disappeared from the entire area of the tumor. The areas in which necrotic tissue was indicated by color Doppler imaging were later confirmed by other modalities such as angiography or contrast-enhanced computed tomography. This leads us to believe that real-time, effective evaluation of PMCT is possible with color Doppler imaging.

Survival analytic approach to long-term prescription of benzodiazepine hypnotics

Eight hundred and sixty-two patients who visited the department of neuropsychiatry and who were prescribed benzodiazepine (BZ) hypnotics were investigated to evaluate the actual state of their use, in terms of age, gender, diagnostic categories according to ICD-9, duration of prescription and dose equivalent to diazepam prescribed. The frequency of prescriptions in subjects were surveyed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis at every 3 months. Mean survival time to discontinuation was 8.5 months. A total of 60% of the subjects did not receive BZ hypnotics at the end of the third month, but 20% remained to be prescribed after 1 year. Moreover, 7.9% of the subjects were prescribed BZ hypnotics even after 3 years. The results indicated that 20% of patients who had started prescriptions for BZ hypnotics had the potential to induce dependence. The following variables were found in the long-term prescription: male patients; aged patients over 60; and affective psychoses (which mainly consisted of depression) including neurotic depression, in the present study. A low dose was considered to be associated with an ability to be free from BZ hypnotics in an early period.

Nucleotide sequence and characterization of cdrA, a cell division-related gene of Helicobacter pylori

We identified cell division-related gene cdrA in Helicobacter pylori HPK5. The putative gene product, CdrA, is a 367-amino-acid polypeptide that exhibited a high level of homology to conserved hypothetical ATP-binding protein HP0066 of H. pylori 26695, except in the N-terminal region, and showed some similarity to the FtsK/SpoIIIE family proteins. We isolated a cdrA-disrupted mutant by allelic exchange mutagenesis. Because of the low transformation frequency, the possibility that a suppressing mutation would be found in the obtained cdrA mutant was discussed. A repressive role for CdrA on cell division was suggested by the observations that the wild-type strain formed filamentous cells in a high-salt level medium at early stationary phase, while a cdrA-disrupted mutant did not show such an abnormality. In addition, the wild-type strain adopted coccoid forms in the stationary phase, whereas the cdrA-disrupted mutant remained mostly as short rods. Furthermore, the cdrA-disrupted mutant regained the filamentation phenotype when the intact cdrA gene was introduced by allelic exchange. Taken together, these observations show that the cdrA gene plays an important role in the cell growth of H. pylori.

Intra-operative assessment of lymph node metastasis for colorectal carcinoma

We have evaluated the reliability of intra-operative diagnosis for lymph node metastases and assessed the clinical features affecting accuracy of the intra-operative diagnosis based on a review of operative and pathological records in 218 patients treated by curative surgery for colorectal carcinoma. The sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of lymph node metastases was 74.2% and 54.5%, respectively. The clinically positive but pathologically negative [cN(+),pN(-)] lymph nodes group differed significantly from the cN(-),pN(-) group with respect to tumor size, gross appearance and depth of tumor invasion. In the cN(+),pN(+) group, the tumor was larger and depth of tumor invasion was more extensive than in the cN(-),pN(+) group. The postoperative survival curves showed a statistically significant difference between cN(-),pN(-) and cN(+),pN(-) groups (P<0.05). Our data suggest less than satisfactory results for the intra-operative diagnosis of lymph node metastases. Macroscopically, tumor size and gross appearance were important clinical characteristics affecting accuracy in the macroscopic diagnosis of lymph node metastases. Therefore, prophylactic lymph node dissection is recommended, regardless of intra-operative assessment of lymph node metastases.

Mechanical strength of calcium phosphate cement in vivo and in vitro

Two different kinds of calcium phosphate cement were developed for implant fixation: cement A comprised of alpha-tricalcium phosphate (alpha-TCP) 95% and dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) 5%, and cement B comprised of alpha-tricalcium phosphate 90% and dicalcium phosphate dihydrate 10%. The compression strength and pullout force of the new materials were tested both in vitro and in vivo. Microscopic observations were performed on the interface between bone and cement. Cement A showed a greater mechanical strength than cement B. The results suggest the clinical possibility of this calcium phosphate cement, which could be used as a material for enhancing implant fixation.

Structural characteristics of bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) transthyretin and its cDNA--comparison of its pattern of expression during metamorphosis with that of lipocalin

Transthyretin, an extracellular thyroid-hormone-binding protein (THBP) in higher vertebrates, is synthesized and secreted by the choroid plexus of all classes of vertebrates, except fish and amphibians, and synthesized in the liver of endothermic animals. Here, we report the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA for a THBP found in plasma of bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) tadpoles before the climax of metamorphosis. The amino acid sequence clearly shows this protein to be an amphibian transthyretin. The three-dimensional structure of bullfrog transthyretin was derived using homology modeling. Compared with transthyretins from other vertebrate species, bullfrog transthyretin is highly conserved at the thyroid hormone-binding sites and other important structural regions of the subunits. Bullfrog transthyretin mRNA was found in tadpole liver, but not in tadpole choroid plexus. Thus, during evolution, synthesis of transthyretin in the liver of metamorphosing amphibians preceded that in the choroid plexus of reptiles, birds and mammals. It was previously observed that the protein most abundantly synthesized and secreted by the choroid plexus in adult amphibians is a lipocalin [Achen, M. G., Harms, P. J., Thomas, T., Richardson, S. J., Wettenhall, R. E. H. & Schreiber, G. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 23170-23174], in contrast to transthyretin being the most abundantly synthesized and secreted protein in the choroid plexus of mammals, birds and reptiles. Lipocalin mRNA was found in large amounts in tadpole choroid plexus, but not livers.

PTB domain of insulin receptor substrate-1 binds inositol compounds

We examined whether a phosphotyrosine binding (PTB) domain from the human insulin receptor substrate-1 (hIRS-1) is capable of binding inositol phosphates/phosphoinositides. The binding specificity was compared with that of the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain derived from the same protein because the three dimensional structure was found to be very similar to that of the PH domain, despite the lack of sequence similarity. We also attempted to locate the site of binding of the inositol compounds. The PTB domain bound [3H]Ins(1,4, 5)P3, which was displaced most strongly by Ins(1,3,4,5,6)P5 and InsP6, indicating that these inositol polyphosphates show the highest affinity. The PTB domain bound to liposomes containing PtdIns(4,5)P2, PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 and PtdIns(3,4)P2, but not phosphatidylinositol. In contrast, the PH domain showed a preference for Ins(1,4,5)P3, the polar head of PtdIns(4,5)P2. Site-directed mutagenesis studies were performed to map the binding site for inositol phosphates in the PTB domain. Mutation of K169Q, K171Q or K177Q, located in the loop connecting the beta1 and beta2 strands, which is partially responsible for binding inositol phosphates/phosphoinositides in the PH domains of several other proteins, reduced binding activity, probably because of a reduction in affinity. Mutation of R212Q or R227Q, shown to be involved in the binding of a phosphotyrosine, had little effect on the binding capacity. These results indicate that the PTB domain of hIRS-1 can bind inositol phosphates/phosphoinositides. Therefore signalling through the PTB domain could be regulated by the binding not only of proteins with phosphotyrosine but also of inositol phosphates/phosphoinositides, implying that PTB domains could be involved in a myriad of interconnections between intracellular signalling pathways.

Involvement of proteasomes in migration and matrix metalloproteinase-9 production of oral squamous cell carcinoma

We investigated whether proteasomes were involved in the invasiveness of oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells. The migration of SCC cells through a gelatin-coated membrane was enhanced with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), which was strongly inhibited by a peptide aldehyde, N-acetyl-Leu-Leu-norleucinal (ALLN), but not by its structurally related compound, N-acetyl-Leu-Leu-methioninal (ALLM). Since ALLN is a more potent inhibitor against proteasomal proteolysis than ALLM, cell migration inhibited by ALLN may thus likely depend on proteasomes. The TNF alpha-induced migration through gelatin appeared to be associated with the gelatinolytic activity from the cells, since TNF alpha strongly enhanced the production of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9/gelatinase B in the SCC cells, as detected by gelatin zymography. The production of MMP-9 was also inhibited by pretreatment with ALLN, but not ALLM, in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, ALLN could block the activation and nuclear translocation of a transcription-activating factor, NF-kappaB, which is known to regulate MMP-9 expression in TNF alpha-stimulated SCC cells. The TNF alpha-induced degradation of IkappaB alpha was also suppressed by ALLN treatment, thus implying that the molecule linking proteasome to MMP-9 production should be IkappaB alpha. We finally reconfirmed the involvement of proteasomes in the invasive behavior of oral SCC using lactacystin, a specific proteasome inhibitor, which could prevent TNF alpha from enhancing MMP-9 production, NF-kappaB activation, induction of MMP-9 mRNA and cell migration.

Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical study of the expression of fibronectin mRNA in human submandibular salivary gland

The alternative expression of fibronectin mRNA in submandibular salivary glands was analysed using three groups of polymerase chain reaction probes to amplify the cell-binding domain (CBD), and the extra domain (ED)-A and ED-B exon regions in five normal human adults. The fibronectin CBD region was fairly well expressed in the salivary gland while less than trace amounts of ED-A and ED-B exons were expressed. Immunohistochemical staining with an antihuman plasma fibronectin monoclonal antibody, which recognized specifically the CBD region, demonstrated definite positive cytoplasmic staining in the duct-cell area. On the other hand, an anticellular fibronectin ED-A-specific monoclonal antibody was very low positive in duct cells. The results suggest that salivary fibronectin is synthesized in the submandibular salivary gland only, and does not include the ED-A segment. Furthermore, duct cells also produced fibronectin without ED-A.

["Painful legs and moving toes" and muscle cramps spreading to the bilateral legs in a patient with alcoholic polyneuropathy]

A 37-year-old man with alcoholic polyneuropathy showed involuntary movement as intermittent flexion-extension or abduction-adduction of his toes identical to "painful legs and moving toes (PLMT)" and muscle cramps. Regarding the sequential spreading of PLMT and cramps from unilateral to contralateral leg muscles and phasic discharges observed by a needle EMG in the foot muscles during PLMT, we suppose that a spinal or supraspinal mechanism was responsible for the production of those movements. This case showed novel aspects of PLMT which was induced by sensory stimulation of the left lower leg and subsequently initiated cramps. The destruction of the lumbar sympathetic ganglion remarkably ameliorated the spontaneous PLMT and cramps, whereas sensory stimulation of the left lower leg still induced those movements. Therefore, we think that sensory inputs from peripheral nerves played a critical role in the generation of PLMT and cramps, and abnormal activities of spinal sympathetic nerves exacerbated those involuntary movements. Sensory induced PLMT may be a subgroup of this movement disorder.

Detection of latent Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA in paraffin sections of nasopharyngeal carcinomas expressing no EBV-encoded small RNAs using in situ PCR

In situ hybridization (ISH) with EBER 1 (Epstein-Barrvirus (EBV)-encoded small RNA1) probes is widely used for in situ detection of EBV-infected cells. ISH with an EBER1 probe showed that 10 of 40 NPC cases were negative for EBER1 expression. For in situ detection of EBV DNA, we used in situ PCR method which can detect one copy of EBV DNA per cell. Of the 10 EBER1-negative cases, three cases including one each of well- and poorly differentiated carcinomas and undifferentiated carcinoma were EBV DNA-positive by in situ PCR. The remaining seven were truly negative for the presence of EBV DNA. All the EBV genome-negative NPC cases examined here were histologically classified as poorly differentiated or undifferentiated carcinomas which are known to be closely associated with EBV, indicating the existence of EBV DNA-negative NPC cases, regardless of histological type or differentiation. These results indicate that there are EBV genome-positive NPC cases expressing no EBER1 and that in situ PCR can be suitable for in situ detection of EBV-infected cells, especially those expressing no EBER1 in paraffin sections.

Expression of chemokines and induction of rapid cell death in human blood neutrophils by Mycobacterium tuberculosis

To elucidate the role of neutrophils in the early inflammatory response to mycobacterial infection, expression of chemokines interleukin (IL)-8 and macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha (MIP-1alpha) was examined in human blood neutrophils in response to the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Escherichia coli, which induces acute inflammation, or to Mycobacterium tuberculosis or purified protein derivative (PPD), which induce chronic mycobacterial inflammation. Neutrophils stimulated with LPS, M. tuberculosis, or PPD expressed both IL-8 and MIP-1alpha. Expression of IL-8 and MIP-1alpha was lower after stimulation with M. tuberculosis or PPD than after stimulation with LPS, but the kinetics of expression did not differ significantly. In contrast, both M. tuberculosis and PPD with tumor necrosis factor-alpha induced neutrophils to undergo rapid cell death, which might remove neutrophils and activate macrophages at sites of mycobacterial inflammation. The findings suggest that neutrophils play important roles in the host defense against mycobacterial infection.

Potential of the aminosterol, squalamine in combination therapy in the rat 13,762 mammary carcinoma and the murine Lewis lung carcinoma

Squalamine, a naturally-occurring aminosterol, has demonstrated antiangiogenic activity in several experimental models. Extended treatment with other antiangiogenic agents has been shown to increase tumor oxygenation. Tumor oxygenation was measured using an Eppendorf pO2 histograph polarographic pO2 electrode system in the rat 13,762 mammary carcinoma after treatment of the tumor-bearing animals with squalamine (40 mglkg) on days 4 through 18 post tumor implantation. Under air breathing conditions, the hypoxic fraction (percent of pO2 readings < 5 mmHg) was 53% in controls and was decreased to 38% in the squalamine treated animals. While squalamine administration alone produced only a modest effect on the growth of the 13,762 tumor, there were increases in tumor growth delay of 1.9- to 2.5-fold when squalamine was administered along with cyclophosphamide, cisplatin and paclitaxel compared with the tumor growth delays observed with the chemotherapeutic agents alone. To determine the efficacy of squalamine alone and along with cytotoxic therapies against a model of primary and systemic disease, squalamine was administered to animals bearing the Lewis lung carcinoma by daily subcutaneous injection or by continuous infusion on days 4 through 18 post tumor implantation. Squalamine as a single agent had only a modest effect on the growth of the primary Lewis lung tumor but increased the tumor growth delays produced by cyclophosphamide, cisplatin, paclitaxel and 5-fluorouracil by 2.4- to 3.8-fold compared with the anticancer drugs alone. Squalamine administration alone substantially decreased the number of lung metastases found in animals bearing the Lewis lung carcinoma and further decreased the number of lung metastases when administered along with the chemotherapeutic agents.

Raman linear intensity difference of membrane-bound peptides: indole ring orientations of tryptophans 11 and 13 in the gramicidin A transmembrane channel

A Raman linear intensity difference (RLID) method has been developed to determine orientations of chromophores in membrane-bound peptides and proteins. The method involves orientation of the peptide or protein in lipid bilayer membranes and measurement of intensity differences between Raman spectra excited with two orthogonal laser polarizations. Analysis of the RLID spectrum is simplified when the chromophore exhibits a vibrational mode for which the Raman band is enhanced through resonance with a single molecular electronic transition. To examine the indole ring orientations of Trp residues in the gramicidin A transmembrane channel, we have prepared analogues of gramicidin A, in which one of four Trp residues is replaced by deuterated Trp (Trp-2,4,5,6,7-d5). Two vibrational Raman bands omega(d)3 and omega(d)2 of deuterated Trp have been shown to gain intensity predominantly through resonance with the Bb and La electronic transitions, respectively, when excited at 244 and 257 nm. By examining the RLID spectra of the omega(d)3 and omega(d)2 bands of gramicidin A channels oriented in phospholipid bilayer membranes, we have determined the inclination angles of the Bb and La transition moments with respect to the channel axis in the absence and presence of Na+. The orientations of the Trp-11 and Trp-13 indole rings in the gramicidin channel structure have been derived from the inclination angles of the transition moments. The indole rings of Trp-11 and Trp-13, which are known to shift along the channel axis upon binding of Na+, do not reorient during their positional shifts.

Detection of Epstein-Barr virus infection in the epithelial cells and lymphocytes of non-neoplastic tonsils by in situ hybridization and in situ PCR

Non-neoplastic tonsils were analyzed for detection of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive cells by in situ hybridization and in situ PCR. EBV-encoded small nuclear RNA 1(EBER1)-positive cells were found in 28.2% of the tonsils and were evenly localized in the extrafollicular area and within germinal centers. Latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1)-positive cells were also dispersed in the extrafollicular and germinal center. Using in situ DNA-DNA hybridization, the EBV-positive signals were observed in the upper epithelial cell layers of the tonsils. In addition, in situ PCR detected EBV DNA-positive cells in the lower epithelial cell layers and lymphoid cells.

Allosteric effectors of hemoglobin as modulators of chemotherapy and radiation therapy in vitro and in vivo

INTRODUCTION

A series of molecules designed to be allosteric effectors of hemoglobin were examined for their potential as radiation sensitizers in vitro and in vivo and for their potential as chemosensitizers in vivo as well as for their antimetastatic effect.

RESULTS

At a concentration of 100 microM for 1 h prior to, during and for 1.5 h after radiation exposure, the allosteric effectors decreased the shoulder of the radiation survival curve of normally oxygenated EMT-6 cells and increased the slope of the radiation survival curves of hypoxic EMT-6 cells resulting in dose-modifying factors of 1.8 to 2.1. In vivo the allosteric effectors had antitumor activity against the Lewis lung carcinoma and produced primarily additive tumor growth delay when administered along with fractionated radiation therapy. When administered on days 4 through 18 after tumor implantation, the allosteric effectors, especially JP-7, RSR-13 and RSR-4, were highly effective antimetastatic agents in animals bearing Lewis lung carcinoma. In cell culture, simultaneous exposure to the allosteric effectors (at 100 microM) effectively sensitized EMT-6 cells to the effects of 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide, thiotepa and carboplatin. The allosteric effectors were not very cytotoxic toward EMT-6 tumor cells from tumors treated in vivo with single doses of each molecule nor were these agents very cytotoxic toward bone marrow CFU-GM taken from the same animals.

CONCLUSIONS

It is likely that the allosteric effectors have a molecular target in addition to hemoglobin. Other possible targets include hydroxymethyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase or microsomal cytochrome b5.

8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine in urine as an index of oxidative damage to DNA in the evaluation of atopic dermatitis

8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) is one of the products which are excreted in urine as a result of oxidative damage to DNA. We investigated the feasibility of using 8-OHdG in urine as an index for oxidative damage to DNA in atopic dermatitis (AD). Seventeen patients with long-standing AD and 17 healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study. The severity of AD was evaluated by SCORAD index. Eosinophils, total IgE and lactate dehydrogenase-5 in peripheral blood were measured as clinical parameters for AD. A newly developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method was used to measure urine 8-OHdG. The AD patients showed significantly higher levels (P < 0.0001) of 8-OHdG in their urine than corresponding controls. Urine 8-OHdG levels showed as strong a positive correlation as other haematological parameters did using the SCORAD index. Thus, we conclude that the urine 8-OHdG levels can also serve as a biochemical index of tissue damage and can act as a useful tool in the clinical evaluation of AD.