Effects of fibrin on the secretion of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 from endothelial cells and on protein kinase C

We previously demonstrated that cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) overlaid with a fibrin clot induced a slight increase in tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) secretion and marked reduction in plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) secretion. In this study, the intracellular signal transduction after fibrin stimulation was further investigated by analyzing cyclic AMP (cAMP) and protein kinase C (PK-C). When HUVECs were stimulated by fibrin clots, t-PA mRNA increased to 130% but PAI-1 mRNA decreased to 42%. These changes concurred with the data on the protein levels of t-PA and PAI-1 as previously reported. The effect of fibrin on t-PA production in HUVECs was not significantly altered after the elevation of cAMP by either forskolin or dibutyryl cAMP. Furthermore, an effect of fibrin on t-PA production did not appear when the cells were treated by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) or 1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H-7). The suppressive effect of fibrin on PAI-1 secretion from HUVECs was not altered by elevation of cAMP. Regarding the activation of PK-C by PMA, PAI-1 secretion was enhanced, but was suppressed by fibrin stimulation. H-7 suppressed PAI-1 secretion and further stimulation by fibrin almost completely abolished PAI-1 secretion. These changes were well associated with mRNA levels of t-PA and PAI-1. These results suggested that fibrin on HUVECs preferably down-regulates PK-C resulting in a decrease of PAI-1 in both the protein and mRNA levels and that effect of fibrin on t-PA secretion is neither involved in PK-C nor cAMP pathway.

[Yolk sac tumor resected by transverse sternotomy: a case report]

Transverse sternotomy was performed in a 39-year-old man having bilateral lung metastatic lesions of yolk sac tumor. This approach provided an excellent operative field. Bilateral partial lobes including parietal pleura and diaphragma were readily resected. As described in this paper, transverse sternotomy is one of the beneficial method in the thorough surgical treatment for metastatic bilateral lung lesion.

[Homicide by strangulation with a lasso sling]

A 50-year-old physically handicapped man was found dead on his wheelchair in a short passage on the ground floor of a high-rise housing development. The lattice doors at the both ends of the passage were closed and the wheelchair with the body was found at the door to an adjoining indoor parking place for bicycles. A noose of a vinyl plastic cord was found wound around the neck; the other end of the cord was tied through the lattice door to a handrail on the wall of the parking place. The wheelchair was stopped sideways; its chair back was in contact with a doorpost. The body which was slipped from the seat of the wheelchair was incompletely suspended by the noose. The cause of death primarily was diagnosed as hanging. The police suspected murder and arrested a 21-year-old male assailant. According to his confession, the assailant pushed the wheelchair through the lattice door in the passage, stopped it at the door and braked it. Immediately thereafter he returned to the parking place and locked the lattice door behind him. After having made a kind of lasso using a cord taken off from a bicycle which has been sitting there, he reached out his hands through the lattice door and lassoed the man on the wheelchair from behind. Finally, he tied another end of the lasso to the handrail. It was considered that the body of the victim was slipped down in the stage of convulsion and incompletely suspended by the noose.

Comparative histomorphology between isoproterenol-induced early lesions and postmortem artifacts in the rat heart

Isoproterenol-induced early myocardial lesions were compared histomorphologically to commonly observed postmortem artifacts in the rat hearts which were collected up with 40 min after death. Isoproterenol-induced early lesions were characterized by multifocal myocardial eosinophilia restricted to the inner one third of the left ventricle and septum. These very early lesions were similar to the artifacts which were also characterized by myocardial eosinophilia and increased with time after death. The dilation of intercellular spaces which was also an artifact occurred at 40 min. Contraction bands, fragmentation of fibers and inflammatory cellular infiltration noted only in the isoproterenol-induced lesions were the differentiating criteria from artifacts. The postmortem artifacts were not observed in the hearts fixed immediately after death.

Binding between wild-type p53 and hsp72 accumulated after UV and gamma-ray irradiation

We have investigated the increased levels of p53 and hsp72 after UV or gamma-ray irradiation and the association of these using two human glioblastoma cell lines. Human glioblastoma cell line A-172 exhibited no mutations in the p53 gene, whereas cell line T98G had a mutation in exon 7 of the p53 gene. In A-172, the level of wild-type p53 was increased by UV or gamma-ray irradiation. Although the level of mutant p53 in T98G was very high before irradiation, it was unchanged by UV or gamma-ray irradiation. Furthermore, in the A-172 cell line after UV or gamma-ray irradiation, wild-type p53 was co-immunoprecipitated with anti-hsp72/73 antibody, and accumulated hsp72 was also co-immunoprecipitated with anti-p53 antibody. These findings indicate that wild-type p53 accumulated by UV or gamma-ray irradiation is associated with hsp72 induced by these treatments.

Serum protein and erythrocyte enzyme polymorphisms in twelve population groups of Hungary

The distribution of the serum proteins C3, TF, HP, GC, BF, AMY2, PLG, GM, and KM and the erythrocyte enzyme polymorphisms GLO, GPT, ESD, ACP, 6-PGD, ADA, AK, PGM1 and PGP amongst twelve population groups in Hungary was investigated. Gene frequencies and genetic distances are discussed in relation to the present geographical locations of these groups and their probable history of migration.

[Myocardial structural proteins in cor pulmonale. Analysis by two-dimensional electrophoresis]

Changes in cardiac structural proteins caused by cor pulmonale were studied with two-dimensional electrophoresis. Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to an oxygen-poor gas mixture (10% O2/90% N2) for three weeks. These rats (the hypoxic group) were compared to a control group that was kept in room air. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, and right ventricular systolic pressure were greater in the hypoxic group than in the control group. After the third week, desmin content of both ventricular muscles had increased in the hypoxic group, and was significantly greater in the hypoxic group than in the control group. The contents of other cardiac structural proteins did not change. These data suggest that increases in desmin are caused by adaptation of the myocardium to pressure overload associated with pulmonary hypertension. However, increases in the desmin content of the left ventricular muscle might be caused by volume overload, humoral factors, or might be a direct effect of hypoxemia.

The interactions of E2F with pRB and with p107 are regulated via the phosphorylation of pRB and p107 by a cyclin-dependent kinase

It has been postulated that the product (pRB) of the retinoblastoma gene dissociates from the E2F-pRB complex upon phosphorylation by cyclin-dependent kinase(s) (cdk). However, there is no direct evident for the regulation of formation of the E2F-pRB complex via phosphorylation by purified cdk. Therefore, we investigated the regulation of formation of this complex by phosphorylation using pRB and purified cyclin A-cdk2, cyclin E-cdk2 or cyclin D1-cdk4. Purified pRB was incubated with nuclear extracts prepared from pRB-defective cells and then subjected to gel mobility shift assays. We confirmed that unphosphorylated pRB associated with various types of E2F but pRB has been phosphorylated by cyclin A-cdk2 did not. We found that E2F-pRB complexes were disrupted as a consequence of phosphorylation by cyclin A-cdk2, and the levels of the free forms of E2Fs increased. We also found that not only the E2F-pRB complexes but also the E2F-p107 complexes were disrupted upon phosphorylation by cyclin A-cdk2. Furthermore, E2F-pRB complexes were disrupted through phosphorylation by cyclin D1-cdk4 and cyclin E-cdk2, as well as by cyclin A-cdk2. These results clearly demonstrate that the phosphorylation of pRB and p107 by cdks regulates the formation of complexes between E2F and pRB or p107.

[Postoperative infections in cardiovascular surgery: what is an appropriate prophylactic administration of antibiotics?]

Between June 1990 and March 1993, postoperative infections developed in 19 (7.6%) of 250 consecutive patients. All patients studied underwent cardiac or major vascular operations and survived more than four postoperative days. Respiratory and wound infections were the most common infections after operation. Organisms detected were Staphylococci in 11 of which 4 were methicillin resistant, gram negative rods in 6. Factors significantly associated with an increased risk of postoperative infections by univariate analysis included age (> or = 70 years), NYHA (Grade IV), diabetes mellitus, long operating time (> or = 320 min), long perfusion time (150 min), using of IABP. The ratio of postoperative infections in patients who were given broad spectrum penicillin was higher than others. The percentage of postoperative infections was 4.4% in single antibiotic group and 13.2% in double antibiotics group, the former was significantly lower than the later. It is concluded that single dose of first or second or fourth generation cephem was strongly recommended as prophylactic antibiotics after cardiovascular surgery. Twenty adult patients received 2 g of flomoxef (FMOX) in the priming solution of cardiopulmonary bypass just before operation. Serum FMOX levels in patients developed slowly and remained at high levels, showing 49.8 micrograms/ml after five hours. It seemed that no addition of drugs were necessary during cardiopulmonary bypass within five hours.

Preferential inhibition of nucleosome assembly by ultraviolet-induced (6-4)photoproducts

We reconstituted nucleosomes in vitro using two kinds of damaged pBR322 plasmid DNA carrying cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPD) or (6-4)photoproducts. The results indicate that nucleosome assembly is inhibited preferentially by (6-4)photoproducts compared with CPD, suggesting that the regions carrying (6-4)photoproducts retain their nucleosome-free form, i.e. linker-like conformation until completion of the repair processes.

Atomic absorption spectrometric determination of cadmium and lead in human and artificial teeth by direct atomization technique

A method of graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) with a direct atomization technique has been developed for the determination of trace amounts of Cd and Pb in human teeth and artificial teeth. The samples were ground to a particle size of less than 10 microns and mixed with the same amount of graphite powder. One-half to 2 mg of mixed sample was weighed in a tared graphite cup and atomized in a cup-type graphite furnace according to the heating program that was established. Absorbances were determined by integration of the spectral lines in the absorbance vs time spectrum. Calibration was affected using aqueous standard solutions. The results for six human tooth samples and two artificial tooth samples were in good agreement with the values obtained by GFAAS for dissolved samples. The relative standard deviations were 3.1-12% (n = 10) for Cd (19-95 ng g-3) and 0.9-8.1% (n = 10) for Pb (1.43-6.32 micrograms g-3). The determination limits corresponding to twice the standard deviation (sigma, n = 10) for blank measurements were 13 pg for Cd and 53 pg for Pb.

Effect of cyclic AMP on urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor and fibrinolytic factors in a human osteoblast-like cell line

We investigated the effect of cyclic AMP (cAMP) on the pericellular fibrinolytic system in NY cells. Dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP) or forskolin increased the level of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) mRNA and enhanced the secretion of u-PA antigen into the conditioned medium. These agents also increased u-PA antigen on the cell surface. PA inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) antigen was inhibited by dbcAMP or forskolin. Butyrate had no effect on the production and secretion of u-PA and PAI-1. A binding assay of 125I-DFP-u-PA to NY cells revealed a single class of binding sites with a Kd of 3.85 nM and Bmax of 0.89.10(5) binding sites/cell. The Bmax was increased by dbcAMP (1 mM or 10 mM), forskolin (2 microM or 20 microM) of 1.0-, 1.4-, 1.2- and 1.8-fold, respectively. However, the Kd value was not changed. Furthermore, the level of mRNA for the u-PA receptor (u-PAR) was increased by these agents 1.2-, 1.7-, 1.8- and 2.5-fold, respectively. However, butyrate did not alter either the Bmax or the u-PAR mRNA level. These results indicated that the pericellular fibrinolytic activity induced by u-PA/u-PAR is modulated by cAMP in osteoblast-like cells.

[Effect of cyclosporin monotherapy on proteinuria in a patient with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis]

A-34-year-old man with a 16-year history of proteinuria was successfully treated with cyclosporin A (CsA). He was diagnosed as having membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) by renal needle biopsy and was treated with dipyridamole. In July 1992, he was readmitted for the treatment of anasarka. Although conventional predonisolone was administered for 5 months after one cycle of methyl-predonisolone pulse therapy, his nephrotic state did not improve. Immediately after the cessation of this treatment, he was given CsA 3 mg/kg/day. A marked reduction in proteinuria and edema occurred during the use of CsA for 6 months, with a reduction in the fractional excretion of protein. The nephrotic condition of this patient was subsequently stable without massive proteinuria despite the discontinuation of CsA at least for several months. These findings suggest that CsA monotherapy may be useful in patients with MPGN and steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome.

Tension characteristics of the iliotibial tract and role of its superficial layer

Change in tension along the iliotibial tract by sectioning its superficial layer was analyzed using 5 fresh whole cadavers, and the role of the superficial layer was investigated. Tibial attachment of the iliotibial tract (Gerdy's tubercle) was detached and pulled gradually in a distal direction with respect to the femur. Tension along the iliotibial tract by the distal movement of Gerdy's tubercle (stretching the iliotibial tract) was measured first when the whole iliotibial tract was intact, and then when the superficial layer was sectioned at different levels. When the superficial layer was sectioned above the greater trochanter, no significant change in tension was observed from that observed when the whole iliotibial tract was intact. When the superficial layer was sectioned at the middle of the thigh, the tension at Gerdy's tubercle was significantly reduced. It was concluded that not only Kaplan's fibers, those attached to the distal end of the femur and Gerdy's tubercle, but also the superficial layer of the iliotibial tract had an important role in producing tension at Gerdy's tubercle.

Endoscopic injection sclerotherapy for esophageal variceal hemorrhage in myeloproliferative disorder: case report

A 70-year-old woman with myeloproliferative disorder and massive splenomegaly presented with hematemesis. Emergency endoscopy demonstrated bleeding from esophageal varices. Management of variceal hemorrhage by endoscopic injection sclerotherapy, using 5% ethanolamine oleate, was successful. Following the control of variceal bleeding, she was treated with hydroxyurea, a myelosuppressive agent. The spleen size markedly decreased and she was discharged 3 months later. Variceal hemorrhage in myeloproliferative disorder has been reported to be fatal on many occasions, despite different therapeutic approaches, including surgery. In this report, we demonstrated that endoscopic injection sclerotherapy followed by treatment with a myelosuppressive agent was effective in a patient with myeloproliferative disorder and variceal hemorrhage.

[Concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery for advanced stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)]

Forty-two patients with stage IIIA (bronchoscopically T3 and/or bulky N2) and stage IIIB NSCLC were treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Treatment consisted of CDDP, 20 mg/m2 and etoposide, 40 mg/m2 by continuous infusion (day 1-5) of weeks 1 and 5 simultaneously with chest radiotherapy (RT), 50 Gy, 2 Gy/Fx, 5 Fx/week. Surgery was attempted 3-5 weeks after RT in pts clinically downstaged. Between 10/90 and 12/92, 43 previously untreated pts were enrolled and 42 were eligible. Pts characteristics were: male/female = 37/5; mean age, 61 yrs (range, 31-74 yrs); stage IIIA/IIIB = 10/32; 15 adenocarcinoma, 24 squamous cell, 2 large cell, 1 unclassified; PS 0/1/2 = 11/24/7. Excluding 1 ineligible pts, 42 pts were evaluated for CRT response. The response rate was 81% (1 CR, 33 PR, 5 NC, 1 PD, 2 NE). Clinical downstaging was achieved in 20 pts (48%). Twenty-one pts (50%) received surgery and 19 of them were completely resected. In 7 resection specimens, no tumor was observed. Toxicity of CRT was well tolerable (Grade 4 leukopenia, 15%; Grade 2-3 esophagitis, 15%). We conclude that this intensive combined modality therapy is acceptable and appears to increase the response rate as well as resectability. Prospective randomized studies should be conducted for further evaluation of this treatment modality.

Establishment and characterization of a new human lung poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma cell line, GLL-1, producing carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CA19-9

A new human lung poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma cell line producing carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CA19-9, designated GLL-1, was established from a serial xenograft established in our laboratory. In this paper, we investigated the characteristics of GLL-1 cells. The cell line grew in a monolayer and had a polygonal epithelioid appearance in phase-contrast microscopy. The doubling time of GLL-1 cells during exponential growth was approximately 28 h in RPMI-1640 with 10% fetal calf serum. Positive reactions for CEA and for CA19-9 were seen within the cytoplasm of GLL-1 cells by immunohistochemical staining. In log phase, the fractions for G0/G1, S and G2/M were 76.2%, 20.0% and 3.8%, respectively. Chromosome analysis revealed that GLL-1 cells contained the modal number of 72 chromosomes (range 66-97). GLL-1 cells exhibited numerous numerical and structural abnormalities. The Do value for radiation sensitivity, calculated by taking the reciprocals of the slope of the radiation dose response curve, was 109 cGy. The extrapolation number (n) for the radiation response curve was 1.57. Tumor take was observed in nude mice inoculated subcutaneously in the back with 2 x 10(6) GLL-1 cells. The histopathological features of the tumor induced by inoculation of GLL-1 cells were also the same as the original lung cancer.

Degradation of humoral host defense by Candida albicans proteinase

The effect of an extracellular proteinase from the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans on the bactericidal and opsonizing activities of human serum was studied. The ability of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes to kill Staphylococcus aureus was greatly reduced when the bacteria were opsonized with human serum treated with the proteinase. The reduction in the opsonizing activity of human serum was attributed to degradation of the Fc portion of immunoglobulin G by the action of C. albicans proteinase as determined by immunoprecipitation reaction. However, the Fab portion of immunoglobulin G was resistant to proteolysis by the proteinase. A clear reduction in the bactericidal activity of human serum against Escherichia coli was observed when the serum was treated with C. albicans proteinase. The reduction of serum bactericidal activity was attributed to the degradation of complement C3 by proteolysis by the proteinase as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, while C5 resisted the action of the proteinase. As determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the proteinase also degrades endogenous proteinase inhibitors, such as alpha 2 macroglobulin and alpha 1 proteinase inhibitor, which are involved in regulating inflammation. These results suggest that destruction of a host's defense-oriented or regulatory proteins facilitates debilitation of the infected host.

D-glucose transport and glycolytic enzyme activities in erythrocytes of dogs, pigs, cats, horses, cattle and sheep

The activities of D-glucose transport (D-GT) and the glycolytic enzymes hexokinase (HK) and pyruvate kinase (PK), were measured in the erythrocytes of dogs, pigs, cats, horses, cattle and sheep. The erythrocytes of dogs had the highest activities of D-GT, HK and PK, significantly higher than the activities in the erythrocytes of the herbivores. The activities of D-GT and HK in cat erythrocytes were significantly lower than in those of dogs. The differences between the activities of D-GT in the erythrocytes of the different species followed the differences in activities of HK but not those in the activities of PK or in the blood glucose concentrations. It is considered that the activity of HK provides a convenient measurement of the relative rates of glucose oxidation in erythrocytes.

The forms and the levels of fecal PMN-elastase in patients with colorectal diseases

OBJECTIVES

To compare the form of polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN)-elastase in feces with that in plasma and to investigate the usefulness of measuring fecal PMN-elastase levels in patients with colorectal diseases.

METHODS

We examined PMN-elastase complexed with alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1-AT), chymotrypsin, and alpha 2-macroglobulin by ELISA in feces and plasma. Fecal levels of total PMN-elastase were determined in patients with colonic polyp (N = 19), colonic cancer (N = 20), ulcerative colitis (UC; N = 36), colonic Crohn's disease (CD; N = 26), and in control subjects (N = 20).

RESULTS

Most PMN-elastase was not complexed with alpha 1-AT, chymotrypsin, or alpha 2-macroglobulin in feces, whereas most plasma PMN-elastase was complexed with alpha 1-AT. Fecal concentrations and daily fecal excretion of PMN-elastase were significantly increased in patients with active UC (medians 54.8 micrograms/g, 15.14 mg/day) and active CD (41.5 micrograms/g, 10.24 mg/day) compared to those values in control subjects (0.6 micrograms/g, 0.11 mg/day) and in patients with colonic cancer (2.5 micrograms/g, 0.33 mg/day). In inactive UC and CD, these values (3.4 micrograms/g, 0.52 mg/day and 5.2 micrograms/g, 0.59 mg/day, respectively) were significantly lower than in active UC and CD, respectively. In UC, all patients whose rectal biopsies showed infiltration of PMN had high fecal PMN-elastase levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that the measurement of fecal PMN-elastase concentrations are useful for monitoring the disease activity of UC and CD, especially when evaluating whether intestinal inflammation has disappeared completely.

Mutations of a shuttle vector plasmid, pZ189, in Escherichia coli induced by boron neutron captured beam (BNCB) containing alpha-particles

A shuttle vector, pZ189, carrying a bacterial suppressor tRNA marker gene (supF) was dissolved in Tris-EDTA buffer containing 0.3 M 10B-enriched boric acid and then irradiated with boron neutron captured beam (BNCB) produced by the nuclear reaction 10B (n,alpha) 7Li with thermal neutrons. A DNA repair-deficient mutant, KS46 (uvrA-), of Escherichia coli was transformed with the plasmid DNA, and the transformants carrying mutations on the supF gene were selected as nalidixic acid-resistant colonies. The mutation frequency (2.4 x 10(-4)) of pZ189 at the D10 dose was about 70 times greater than the spontaneous rate (3.5 x 10(-6)). The plasmid mutations were analyzed using DNA sequencers; 88% of them were base substitutions. A few minus-one frameshifts (7%) and deletions (5%) were detected. Among these base substitutions, transversions of G:C to T:A (42%) and G:C to C:G (29%) predominated. Twenty-seven percent of the base substitutions were G:C to A:T transitions; no A:T to G:C transitions were detected.